Smoking in cars carrying children banned from today

The new legislation makes it illegal for an adult to smoke in an enclosed vehicle carrying a child and carries a fine of £125.

‘Second-hand smoke inside cars is particularly dangerous because the concentration of cancerous toxins is often greater than in any other micro-environment,’ said director of Public Health Dr Nicola Brink.

‘This can put children at risk of things like chest infections, bronchitis and pneumonia, middle ear infections, asthma, meningococcal disease and, of course, sudden infant death syndrome.’

She said there was no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke, particularly for children.

‘Children who live in households where either adults, parents or siblings smoke are about three times more likely to become smokers themselves, so you’re setting them off on a trajectory of ill health.’

The States backed legislation making it a criminal offence to smoke in vehicles with children in May.

The offence carries a Band C fixed penalty notice of £125, which is reduced to £115 if paid within seven days.

The ban will bring Guernsey into line with UK laws that have been in place for almost 10 years.

Dr Brink said this was ‘behaviour change legislation’ and it would not see law enforcement patrolling specifically to target offenders.

‘It’s a bit like when compulsory seat belts were brought in, most people complied,’ she said.

‘The police certainly won’t be driving around looking for people smoking in cars carrying children. If the police see someone either not with a seat belt on or using a mobile phone, they would, of course, stop them. And we’ve envisaged a similar type of response for smoking and cars carrying children.’

Dr Brink said there were a number of exemptions to the law.

‘One is if there is a convertible with a top completely down,’ she said. ‘Secondly if the person smoking in the car is a child themselves. Under those circumstances, we would probably get the children’s convener and individuals such as that involved.’

The last young people survey showed that 6% of children in year six and 9% of children in years eight and 10 had travelled in cars with people smoking.

‘So the evidence is supporting the decision-making,’ said Dr Brink.

‘We know that second-hand smoking causes harm to children, and we also know that there are children in Guernsey in cars where people are smoking.

'This is an investment in our children’s health, and I think very few people would argue with that.’