Starting Tomorrow, British Smokers Can't Smoke in Cars If Children Are Present

Read: The Next Time You Try to Quit Smoking Will Be Harder Than the Last

From tomorrow onwards, in the UK, motorists face a £50 [$75] penalty under new laws that render smoking in cars illegal when children are present. Both drivers and passengers found to be breaking the new law will be penalized and forced to pay the fixed fine. The measures are being implemented to protect children from the dangerous effects of second-hand smoke, which can cause conditions such as cancer, bronchitis, pneumonia, and meningitis.

The smoking ban applies to every driver in both England and Wales, including 17-year-olds and provisional license holders, though it does not apply if the driver in question is 17 years of age, on their own, and in their own car. Motorists should expect to drive away with a fine even if smoking with the air conditioning on, windows or a sunroof open, or while sitting in a vehicle's open doorway. The legislation will not apply to convertible cars with the roof down, or smoking e-cigarettes in any car with children present.

Announcing the law earlier this year, public health minister Jane Ellison said: "Three million children are exposed to second-hand smoke in cars, putting their health at risk. We know that many of them feel embarrassed or frightened to ask adults to stop smoking, which is why the regulations are an important step in protecting children from the harms of second-hand smoke."

The new measures have been criticized after an RAC survey found that 92 percent of drivers believe it's unlikely the new measures will be effective. Simon Williams, RAC spokesman, said the concerns are "perhaps well-founded, as traffic police officer numbers have fallen by nearly a quarter between 2010 and 2014 across forces in England and Wales, so it is hard to see how people flouting the law are going to be caught.

"Without sufficient enforcement, there is a real danger that these laws will quickly be forgotten by a large proportion of the motoring population."