Freedom Forums

Smoking in your car - the law

This applies to England and Wales but may affect other countries with similar laws.

From the first of October 2015 in the UK it is illegal to smoke in a vehicle (this includes cars) where an under 18 sits.
This does not just apply to the driver of the vehicle.
It could be that your passenger is smoking but you have an under 18 sitting in the back.
In that scenario both the driver and the smoker could be fined up to £50.00 each.
So you can see it is in your interest not to allow your passenger smoke if you have children in the back!

The law states that you can smoke in a convertible car as long as the car is not enclosed at the time.
Also, because 17 year olds can smoke and own a car, the law does not apply to them!

Now then, you may be a smoker but you can't smoke in your own car with your 17 year old son or daughter inside. However, your 17 year old son or daughter can smoke away to their hearts content in your car.
The law is quite clear on this.
So, your 17 year old son or daughter can smoke in your car but you can't.

When these people make up these statutes in order to gain revenue for themselves, I don't think they look at every detail.

Its ridiculous!
A seventeen year old can legally smoke in the car when you can't while he is smoking
Its a strange situation, very strange!

This is one of those situations where the government couldn't possibly cover.
The seventeen year olds have this legal loophole and I bet many utilise it as a means of showing off

The legal age to buy cigarettes or tobacco in the UK is 18 now.
However, the legal age to smoke in the UK is 16.

So, you could find that parents of both 16 AND 17 year olds are prevented from smoking in their cars even though their offspring can.

While a 17 year old can smoke legally in the car by themselves, they will not be able to while they have a 16 year old in the car with them.
Now we have a situation where the 17 year old can't smoke but his 16 year old brother or sister can!

Confused, you soon will be

Eloquently pointed out

I am all in favour of protecting children from smoke inhalation but I knew when they brought in this rubbish there would be a few loopholes

Why can't they just leave people alone?
What we need is responsible parents and adults.
Surely education is better rather than making up legislation in order for them to make money on us.

This government is so clever that they would stop an adult from smoking in the same car as a 17 year old.
But they will allow a 17 year old smoke in the same car as you

I am finding some things hard to absorb and this is one.

Crab wrote: I am finding some things hard to absorb and this is one.

No, its pretty clear that the legislation is faulty here.
Don't worry though, there are plenty of other things that will baffle you even more here.

Mike wrote: I am all in favour of protecting children from smoke inhalation

Same here.
I hate the though of kids growing up while they are exposed to it.
Even worse when they do actually smoke.
Its only later in life that they will regret smoking.

If my 17 year old tried to light up in my car I know what I would do

I smoke in the car but I wouldn't do it with the kids there.
In fact I don't light up anywhere near the kids as I don't want to give the wrong message.
If I had my time again I wouldn't have started.

A nice sexy woman smoking in a car.
This woman would be "legal" because the car is not "enclosed".