DRIVERS in the town have been reminded it is illegal to smoke in your car when there is a child in the vehicle.

Bewsey and Whitecross Police called on people to share the reminder after a resident had reported to them an adult smoking in a vehicle with a young child in the back on the way to school.

The law changed on 1 October 2015 to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Both the driver and the smoker could be fined £50 if caught.

The law applies to every driver in England and Wales including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence.

A Bewsey and Whitecross Police spokesman added: "An eagle-eyed resident had contacted us after witnessing an adult smoking in a vehicle with a young child in the back on the way to school the other day.

"Due to relatively new legislation it is illegal to smoke in a vehicle whereby children are present.

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"If caught, you will be liable for a £50 fine and I won't remind you of the obvious health implications that can be imposed upon a child."

What happens if I've got a sunroof or opened the windows while smoking?

The law applies:

  • to any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof
  • when people have the windows or sunroof open, or the air conditioning on
  • when someone sits smoking in the open doorway of a vehicle

Does this include vaping?

No, the law currently does not apply to e-cigarettes (vaping).

It also does not apply to a driver who is 17 years old if they are on their own in the car or a convertible car with the roof completely down

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman added: "Every time a child breathes in secondhand smoke, they breathe in thousands of chemicals.

"This puts them at risk of serious conditions including meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also make asthma worse."