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.

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

See ASH factsheet  Cars with kids should be smokefree

See  World roundup 

NEWS:  

Queensland to make cars carrying children smokefree
26/5/08: The Queensland government will legislate to make cars carrying children smokefree, among other measures.  See  Premier and Health Minister media release 26/5/08 

US state makes child-carrying cars smokefree
11/4/08: Another US state has enacted legislation to mandate smokefree cars carrying children. The Governor of Maine has signed a new law banning smoking in cars carrying children under 16. The new law will take effect within four months, bringing to three the number of US states passing such a law.  See  Bangor (Maine) News report 11/4/08  

Study shows smoking in cars hazardous to health
20/3/08: A new study confirms that smoking in a car presents a serious health risk to occupants, especially children - and ventilation does not remove the hazard. The Canadian study from the University of Waterloo measured secondhand 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

37 groups urge NSW to follow SA, Tas and protect kids in cars
14/11/07: A coalition of (currently) 37 health, medical, child welfare, church, parents' and community organisations has welcomed Premier Iemma's support for getting the smoke out of kids' faces in the confinement of cars.   See  ASH / Protecting Children for Tobacco media release 14/11/07 

World moves on smokefree cars carrying kids
29/8/07: Bans on smoking in cars carrying children have been enacted in Puerto Rico, two US states and 3 US municipalities, and one Australian state with more under consideration. See  worldwide update from Canadian Cancer Society 29/8/07      SEE ABOVE 11/4/08: 3rd US state passes law

Tas makes improvements but leaves display in kids' faces
 1/3/07: The Tasmanian government has announced it will ban smoking in cars carrying children. Church and health groups have welcomed the move, while critical of weak decisions on retail displays.  See  ASH media release 1/3/07   

SA to make cars with children smokefree
 16/11/06: The South Australian government has introduced legislation to make cars with children smokefree from May 31 2007. Drivers in SA will face on-the-spot fines if caught driving with people under 16 in the car.   See  The Australian 16/11/06    ASH would like to see all Australian governments follow suit.

 

HEALTH HARM 

Recent 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 

A March 2007 study published in the Medical Journal of Australia has shown teenagers risk of asthma is doubled by exposure to secondhand smoke in cars - the University of WA authors backing calls for banning smoking in cars carrying children.   See  ASH Australia media release 19/3/07  including link to the research

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 November 2003. See p. 18 of  Monash review Nov 2003

The Monash review points out that several studies have found that smokers have an increased risk of being involved in motor accidents, and actual distraction caused by the act of smoking is a likely factor. The review concludes that "it is clear that smoking while driving is a hazard." One study cited connects it with over 2,000 accidents a year.

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

See the studies Wen cites, establishing that smoking while driving is an independent factor increasing accident risk:

Brison RJ, "Risk of automobile accidents in cigarette smokers" in Can J Public Health 1990;81:102-6.

DiFranza JR, Winters TH, Goldberg RJ, et al, "The relationship of smoking to motor vehicle accidents and traffic violations" in NY State J Med  1986;86:464-7.

Grout P, Cliff KS, Harman ML, et al, "Cigarette smoking, road traffic accidents and seat belt usage" in Public Health 1983;97:95-101.

Research also shows the effect of smoking on the brain is to give you a mind-altering "high" as well as making you more nervous, jittery and incompetent.  See  ASH media release 26/7/02

 

FIRE CAUSATION

There's also 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.

 

Back to  ASH Action: Smokefree places

 

Page last updated 14/8/08