People Who Vape While Driving In The UK Could Lose Their Licence

While texting away on your mobile phone while at the wheel is deservedly illegal in the UK, vaping has so far escaped the ire of the police so far.

Well, not any more, as senior UK cops have warned people not to vape and drive at the same time, warning that you might be prosecuted and even lose your licence - if you don't crash your car first, that is.

Police have warned that while puffing away at an e-cig while behind the wheel is not illegal in itself, the vapour clouds they produce can obscure your vision, temporarily blinding you and leaving you prone to an accident.

PA

Police catching any driver smoking an e-cig at the wheel may decide that it is potentially dangerous and prosecute the driver for driving without due care and attention, reports the Metro.

Sentencing for that offence can include a ban from the roads, points on your driving licence or a fine of up to £2,500. In short, it just isn't worth it.

Sergeant Carl Knapp of the Sussex Roads Policing Unit said: "The smoke caused by vapes are a distraction and the consequences of them can be dire, all it takes is a moment to become distracted and potentially cause a crash and even worse, a fatality.

'There are no laws prohibiting vaping - however, you need to be in full and proper control of your vehicle at all times."

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Knapp advised people who do wish to vape while driving to open their windows and blow the vapour out of the window, taking care to ensure that they remain in full control of their vehicle while doing so.

According to Surrey Police, any person who is distracted in any way can be guilty of 'driving without due care and attention' - this includes doing potentially distracting activities like smoking, vaping or eating.

If any of these activities create a situation where the driver is being potentially distracted or has reduced visibility, that makes a crash more likely.

In a statement, road safety charity Brake said: "Vaping while driving increases your risk of crashing, causing visual disruption and physical and mental distraction.

'Attempting any type of activity that takes your eyes off the road increases your chances of causing a crash, and killing or seriously injuring someone."

The message from officers is pretty clear - just don't do it basically.

Topics: Police, UK News, News, Driving, vaping

Chris Ogden

Chris Ogden is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from the University of East Anglia with degrees in English Literature and Creative Writing before completing his NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism. Chris has previously written for the independent culture magazine The Skinny, among other publications.

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