A common habit could land some drivers with a £5,000 fine

The law says that if you have an accident as a result, you can receive a hefty fine, demerit points and even a court-imposed driving ban

Habitual drivers have been warned they could face a £5,000 fine. British motorists who vape in their cars could be fined as we head towards Christmas and temperatures drop.

Markus Lindblad, from tobacco-free nicotine alternatives store Northerner, urged Britons not to vape in their cars. He said: “When the weather When it’s colder, you may be tempted to vape in the car instead of standing out in the cold.”

Rather shedding light on the legality of vaping while drivinghe said: “When the rules were introduced, vapes didn’t exist yet, so while the rules don’t specifically say it’s illegal to vape in the car, It does state that everything that is visible limits the driver’s viewsuch as clouds of smoke, could be liable for enforcement.”

And he warned motorists of the risks: “If you are driving and the police notice you are vaping, you could be given an on-the-spot fine of up to £100. However, depending on the severity of the case, you could face a be fined up to £100. If you are caught vaping and have an accident, you could face a fine of up to £5,000, nine penalty points and even a court-ordered driving ban.”

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On whether passengers can vape, he added: “There are no laws that say passengers cannot vape in the car. However, they must first ask permission from the driver so that they can assess the situation to avoid it affecting their visibility. It is probably advisable that anyone vaping in the car ensures that the driver’s view is not affected by the clouds of smoke and that the windows can also be opened.”

The AA emphasized the importance of avoiding distractions such as smoking while driving, referring to Rule 148 of the Highway Code. The AA further explained that in England, commercial vehicles must be smoke-free if carrying citizens or employees, and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it is illegal to smoke in a work vehicle unless it is a personal car.

Additionally, the AA stated that the Children and Families Act 2015 made it a crime to smoke in cars where children were present, but clarified that these rules do not apply to e-cigarettes. They also noted that failure to prevent smoking in a smoke-free private vehicle in England and Wales could result in a £50 fine.