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Eleven U.S. states and 12 EU countries have laws limiting smoking in your car–while transporting minors. Such laws are exploding in popularity, with many more countries currently considering them. Yet only one country (Ireland) and one US territory (Guam) include smoking in a car with a pregnant woman in this health safety ban.

The California EPA found that secondhand smoke in a car with its windows up can be 10 times the safe level. Think putting the windows down will protect your passengers? Often it won’t. Even with the windows down, secondhand smoke levels can remain twice the safe level.

Most people don’t like secondhand smoke, but few places ban smoking in a car with adult passengers. This is because they assume that adults can stand up for themselves and ask you to stop. But an increasing number of places are banning smoking in a car with minors present. That’s because minors may not fully understand the health risks or be able to stand up for themselves.

Currently, these laws vary by state. For example, California, Illinois, Maine, Oregon, and Puerto Rico forbid smoking in a car with anyone under 18 present. The state of Vermont’s law only applies to passengers eight or younger.

Woman smokes a cigarette while driving a car.
Smoking in a car | razyph via iStockPhoto

There is no law around smoking in cars for 23 out of the 39 countries in Europe. But three countries in the E.U. have banned smoking in cars, even when driving alone. They are Italy, Latvia, and Lithuania. Nearby Turkey has also banned smoking in cars, under any circumstances.

Ireland took things a bit further, passing a law against smoking in cars when any children under 18, or pregnant women, are present. Germany is now considering a similar law. The U.S. territory of Guam banned smoking in cars with children who are 17 or younger in 2011. IN 2017, it ammended this law to include pregnant women. There may be other territories or ordinances with similar bans, but an internet search didn’t turn up any laws.

The World Health Organization reports that exposure to secondhand smoke is linked to birth defects, stillbirths, and infant deaths.

Next, read why 4 countries have banned smoking in any car, or learn how American drivers feel about banning smoking in cars transporting minors in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.