from
1 October 2015 it will be illegal to smoke in a car (or other vehicles) with anyone under 18 present
the law is changing 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
the law does not apply if the driver is 17 years old and is on their own in the car
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
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smoking-in-vehicles