Laws making it illegal to smoke while driving if children in car

I just now heard something interesting, that I did not know. Evidently there are 5 states, including California, that have a LAW that says it is illegal to drive while smoking, if children are in the car. Interesting law. I have to say that I do agree with this. I don't think ANYONE should smoke around children. What do you think? Should this become a law everywhere? I think I will make it a poll.

 

It SHOULD absolutely be illegal! Especially with infants. Maybe have an age cap of 16-18.

 

1/2" .. how generous.

 

No I don't think it should be a law. People who smoke should be smart enough to figure that out for themselves. But then again we have become a nation who has to be told what to do so....

 

People who smoke ARE NOT smart enough. That's why there's a law.

 

I'm almost always against anti-smoking laws, but I absolutely hate seeing people smoke with babies the car. I think a law like this particularly for young children is a good idea.

 

They should go one step further in that smoking while driving should have windows up...KEEP that SH*T to yourself, I hate when Im at a stop light and the idiot next to me is smoking and that crap comes into my truck.

 

Well the children are the victims here and need a voice and I believe this law helps in that regard. Although it doesn't carry into the home so it's really a superficial law to ease those who are overly concerned about other peoples businesses.

 

Do we really need to have the government get involved with every aspect of what we do? Worry about yourself! And no I don't smoke in a car with children in it...

 

I hope it becomes a law. This is why and i will never forget this. I was stopped at a red light and looked over to the car on my right hand side. There was a little girl, maybe 4 or 5 years old, sitting in her car seat in the back seat of what looked to be her grandparents car. She was holding a rag over her face while the douchebag granparents were both puffin away on their cigarettes, with all the windows rolled up. I reget not saying something to them. Would it have made a differnece? Maybe not, but i should have tried to make a difference.

 

I think we need a law prohibiting the creation of new laws and requiring the repeal of ten laws every legislative session.

When will people realize that not every single problem is solved by making a new law and that more often times than not laws create more problems then they solve.

 

I even cringe when I see someone smoking in a car at all...especially a newer one. They are destroying the upholstery, headliner, etc. Amazes me even more when they do it with the windows up.

...but I suppose those who have no problem shelling out the $$ for a pack a day probably aren't concerned about their vehicle's resale value.

As far as kids go, if you want to harm your own health that's your own choice and you should be free to do so, but don't subject your kid to secondhand smoke.

 

I support the ban, which is convenient since it's a law in my state. Although, I don't smoke or have kids, so it's easy for me to comply.
As much as some people are claiming that it's a law that we don't need, there were a lot of bad parents smoking in their cars while the kids were in there. Normally I'm not a fan of laws designed around behavior modification, but this was one I supported.

Mostly because if you're smoking in your car while your kid's in there you're an asshole, and I'm fine with laws that only impact assholes.

 

We've had this in place for a while in Ontario, no real issues, like all laws, some people don't care and do it anyways. Just like we're technically not allowed to talk on our cells while driving without a handsfree device. It's called speaker phone in the cup holder.

There are some pretty heavy charges up here for smoking with kids in the vehicle, as well as the talking/texting while driving.

 

This, It is a shame that people are not smart enough not to smoke in front of children. It like the sticker on your lawn mower deck that says keep hands away with a drawing of some idiot getting some fingers chopped off. Are we really such a weak minded society that we need to be told these things? Common sense is greatly lacking these days.

x2

It's hard for me to decide if I agree with this law or not. I am generally always against laws that takes away a persons liberties or right to choose, accept when it comes to children.

It seems as though idiots raising future generations of idiots is a huge problem these days.

 

That is why I wanted to find out others opinions. I was quite curious. On the one hand, I do see that sometimes we have too many laws, and have the government controlling a lot of things that we SHOULD have the common sense to do ourselves, but then on the other hand I feel like children are too young to have a voice, especially infants who CAN'T speak up, so how can we protect them. I will say personally that I see no true advantage or need for smoking, but then again others see that it is a health risk that I drink a lot of soda. My only defense on this is that if I am smoking in a car, I am affecting the health of others, where if I am drinking a soda in a car, I am only affecting my own health.

But back on subject, I will say that if you want to smoke, that is totally YOUR choice. However When your smoking affects ME, then it is my right to have a voice. This is why I support this law, and others that regulate smoking in public places and restaurants. I know that there are some amusement parks that actually ban smoking anywhere inside their facility.

We most all agree that common sense should tell a person they should not smoke around children, but then again, how many people actually DO pay attention to this? I see so many people in this town puffing away around their kids, or heaven forbid I actually saw a woman the other month give her cigarette to her TEN year old daughter! Now THAT pissed me off to no end.

 

Heck, here in OR you get to see and smell people smoking weed in their car, even with kids in it. Problem is, if the cops don't witness it, people don't usually call it in and press charges. Doesn't matter if the car smells like smoke, they can say it is from before the kid was in the car.
Personally, I agree with the law. If you are that hard up for a smoke, pull over and get out of the vehicle instead of forcing your kids to breath that shit.

I hate getting stuck in traffic behind someone who is chain smoking. Last time it happened I was in my car. I ended up getting right next to them and let my car idle down to 800 where one cylinder starts misfiring and I pulled up just enough that my side pipe was right at their window. Yeah, I'm an ass. But I enjoyed seeing their face when the smell of unburnt gas started enveloping them and taking place of their cig smoke. Though if I really wanted to be an ass, I should have let the cylinder load up and then popped the throttle to clear it.

 

I'm disappointed that so many people accept government as an answer to simple issues in our daily life. I just deleted a big post because I know there are people here who can't handle the freedom of making your own decision and staying out of other people's lives.

 

Shrug.
When there's no more reported occurrences of childhood emphysema because the parent's are no longer smoking around their children I'll accept your premise as valid for this specific example.

While I'm generally opposed to the government legislating behavior, this is one I can get behind.

 

It is not that we are accepting government as an answer, but when you see stuff like this, how can you stand by and take it, watching people subject their INFANT and young children to second hand smoke? The poor kids lungs are still developing, and the parents couldn't give a damn. Since people in general can't stop it, having a law get VOTED IN by the people is our only recourse.

I agree 100% with that statement. While I am not a big fan of government stepping in saying what we can and can't do, when it comes to protecting the health of children WHO DO NOT HAVE A SAY in the matter, then a law like this should be voted in.