Smokefree cars

There's been much debate in the media about whether smoking in cars while driving should be banned - or at least when driving, or when there are children, or passengers generally, in the car. 

All six Australian states have now legislated or committed to legislation; but the ACT and Northern Territory have yet to legislate.

The three main issues to consider are HEALTH HARM, ROAD SAFETY, and FIRE CAUSATION. 

See ASH factsheet  Cars with kids should be smokefree

Overseas, 3 countries and many jurisdictions have legislated:  See (May 2010)  World roundup 

See major issues in  Protecting children from tobacco

NEWS:  

Three countries, many jurisdictions legislate

May 2010: Three countries - South Africa, Mauritius and Bahrain - have legislated to make cars carrying children smokefree. So have 9 US and 8 Canadian jurisdictions, as well as all six Australian states.  See latest  World roundup

UK health experts propose making cars and child-accessible public areas smokefree
24/3/10: All private cars and outdoor places where children gather should be made smokefree by law, says a report endorsed by the UK Chief Medical Officer. The Royal College of Physicians report has been presented to the government as it reviews tobacco laws.  See  UK Telegraph report 24/3/10

Queensland protects children from smoke in cars
1/1/10: Cars carrying children under 16 are smokefree in Queensland by law from January 1, 2010 - along with other smokefree reforms.  See  Brisbane Times report 30/10/09    See  Queensland tobacco laws

WA tobacco bill passes both houses       
See  WA law and explanation  under T:  "Tobacco...2008"

1/1/10:  Reforms to Western Australia's tobacco laws will come into effect in September 2010. The new laws will include making cars carrying children under 17 smokefree, as well as other reforms.

Victorian child protection law proclaimed
1/1/10:  Cars carrying children are smokefree by law in Victoria from January 1, 2010.   See  the bill at introduction    See  Victorian government strategy

Liberals' Abbott told: protecting children from smoke not "trivial"
2009: Health, parent and child welfare groups have expressed strong concern over remarks by (then) Federal Opposition frontbencher Tony Abbott that laws to protect children from secondhand smoke in cars are "trivial". See  PCFT coalition release 2/7/09  and  ABC report of Abbott remarks 

NSW law to protect children takes effect 
2009: New laws have come into effect in NSW making cars carrying children under 16 smokefree. See NSW Cancer Minister release with Protecting Children from Tobacco coalition 1/7/09    See  NSW Tobacco Bill   and more  info for retailers and consumers   These reforms have weathered an aggressive tobacco industry scare campaign:  see earlier ASH release 21/7/08  and  Philip Morris scares retailers - and the truth about their arguments        

Study shows smoking in cars hazardous to health
2008: A major study confirms that smoking in a car presents a serious health risk to occupants, especially children - and ventilation does not remove the hazard. The study measured smoke levels after one cigarette was smoked in 18 different cars - and found the worst examples were more hazardous than indoor-smoky bars.    See  Canada TV report      See  full study

Tas bans smoking in cars carrying children
2007: The Tasmanian government will ban smoking in cars carrying children. Church and health groups welcome the move. See  ASH media release 1/3/07   

SA to make cars with children smokefree
2006: The South Australian government introduces Australia's first legislation to make cars with children smokefree from May 31, 2007. Drivers in SA face on-the-spot fines if caught smoking with people under 16 in the car.   See  The Australian 16/11/06   

HEALTH HARM 

Studies have established that levels of exposure to secondhand smoke inside cars are significant, enough to cause serious health harm - especially to children.  See for example: Sendzik et al (March 2008)  Canada TV report  and  full study;  also Edwards R et al (Oct 2006), "Highly Hazardous Air Quality Associated with Smoking in Cars..." in  New Zealand Medical Journal  119(1244);  also Rees V and Connolly G (2006) "Measuring Air Quality..." in Amer J Preventative Medicine XX(x) doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2006.07.021 

... and addiction?

2008: A survey of almost 1500 children aged 10-12 in Addictive Behaviors journal found secondhand smoke exposure in cars may be linked with nicotine dependence symptoms. The authors suggest that "If replicated, this finding provides support for interventions that promote non-smoking in motor vehicles."  See  study preview  

There's a mountain of research on the harm caused to other people by secondhand smoke - see the studies at SmokeFree Australia for starters.  There is also much research on secondhand smoke harm to children - see information for parents under Passive Smoke Harms Kids. 

You can simulate exposure to secondhand smoke in various types of cars under various conditions at the US site simsmoke.  

ROAD SAFETY

Research shows smoking while driving is clearly a danger - and more serious than other distractions like mobile phones or eating, since smoking involves the risk of dropping burning matter into your lap!

Recent studies on smoking and car safety were reviewed by Monash University Accident Research Centre in 2003. See p. 18 of  Monash review Nov 2003

See also the study by Wen C et al  in Tobacco Control (2005) showing smoking almost doubles car death risk.   See full study    

FIRE CAUSATION

There's evidence that many fires are started from lit cigarettes being thrown from car windows. See for example, Chapman S and Balmain A, "Time to legislate for fire-safe cigarettes in Australia" in MJA 2004; 181(6):292-293 or in  mja online. The NSW Fire Service estimates around 4% of all cigarettes thrown from car windows start some kind of fire. Cigarettes can also cause fires inside cars - sometimes with fatal results. The Australian government has now mandated standards to ensure cigarettes manufactured or imported into Australia self-extinguish when not being smoked.  Australian and world developments, and how  Big Tobacco hid its capacity to make cigarettes fire-safer, at  fighting cigarette fires  

Back to  ASH Action: Smokefree places

Page last updated 11/5/10