One driving mistake that could land you a £5,000 fine

Person driving a vehicle
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)


Driving comes with a multitude of rules, all designed to keep us safe on the roads. From speed limits and stop signs to restrictions on overtaking, these regulations are crucial.

However, experts at Vape Globe have highlighted a potentially costly driving mistake that could result in a '£5,000 fine' - and it's likely you're unaware of it. Surprisingly, this revolves around vaping or smoking inside your vehicle.

Importantly, Rule 148 of the Highway Code states that 'safe driving and riding needs concentration', which means avoiding distractions such as loud music, eating, and smoke. If plumes of smoke impair your ability to drive safely, you could be hit with a significant penalty.

"Contrary to belief, vaping is technically illegal in the car," the experts said. "While the rules don’t explicitly mention vapes, as they are a fairly new product, it does state that drivers can receive a £100 on-the-spot fine and three penalty points if they believe the clouds of smoke impact your ability to drive safely.

"The clouds of smoke can of course be related to the same clouds emitted by vapes and in more serious cases fines can be up to £5,000, nine penalty points and even a court-imposed driving ban."

Experts at Motoring Defence Solicitors also echoed this, while adding: "The risk vapers face however is that they could be smacked with a penalty even if their standard of driving wasn’t actually affected due to the huge plumes of smoke that are often discharge. When in a confined space such as your car, the smoke could easily obscure the windscreen and restrict your view, particularly if there were other factors affecting visibility present (i.e. rain, sun, poor lighting)."

Although it's technically legal to smoke inside your car, this isn't the case if anyone under 18 is present. This comes after the law changed in October 2015 amid concerns over the health risks of secondhand smoke.

At the time, the Government said: "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.

"It is illegal to smoke in a car (or other vehicle) with anyone under 18. 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. The law applies to every driver in England and Wales, including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence."

Join the Money Saving Club WhatsApp channel aimed at saving you money and powered by the best content from Reach's national and regional titles