Is it allowed to smoke while driving?
4 Answers
According to national laws and regulations, smoking while driving is not permitted. Below is relevant information: Penalties: In fact, smoking while driving is indeed a violation. Whether caught by surveillance cameras or traffic police, penalties will be imposed. Of course, the penalty method will be determined based on the circumstances. China's traffic safety laws clearly stipulate that any behavior that hinders safe driving should be penalized by traffic police authorities. Impact: While smoking, one cannot fully concentrate on driving. Sometimes, one might check if there is ash on the cigarette and then shake it off by the window, which can to some extent hinder safe driving.
I once tried smoking on the highway and ended up fumbling around, nearly causing a rear-end collision. Traffic regulations clearly state that holding a cigarette while driving counts as behavior that impedes safe driving, especially when lighting up—you have to look down for at least 2-3 seconds, taking your eyes off the road. At 60 km/h in the city, those few seconds mean blindly driving over 50 meters. Plus, smoke can irritate your eyes and reduce visibility. In an emergency, steering with one hand just isn’t fast enough. Now I chew gum to stay alert—it’s much safer than risking an accident.
Before quitting smoking, I couldn't resist lighting up while driving, only to realize later how much damage it does to the car. Ash falling into seat crevices is particularly troublesome to clean, and tar buildup in the filters makes it hard to eliminate AC odors—especially in summer when recirculating air fills the cabin with lingering smoke that irritates the throat. Not to mention the harm of secondhand smoke to passengers, particularly with elderly or children onboard, as nicotine levels in enclosed spaces triple outdoor concentrations. I've switched to refreshing mint candies now, avoiding fines and demerit points while protecting my family's health.
Last year, my cousin back home drove into a ditch while smoking and driving, breaking two ribs. The key issue is that lighting a cigarette requires freeing up the right hand to grab the lighter, leaving the left hand alone to control the car, which makes it particularly easy to veer off course. The ashtray is usually designed next to the gear shift, so every time you flick the ash, you have to look down, which is even more dangerous when the windshield fogs up in rainy weather. In fact, traffic police in many places strictly enforce laws against driving while holding a cigarette. The fine is minor, but if an accident occurs, insurance may refuse to cover it. Rather than driving nervously, it's better to pull over at a service area to satisfy the craving.
