Police have have said that vaping – which causes excessive amounts of smoke and may momentarily blind drivers – could result in fatal crashes.
E-cigarette users have been warned about the dangers of vaping at the wheel by police – saying it could result in people facing prosecution and losing their licence.
Vaping while driving is not itself an illegal act. It is up to the discretion of police officers to decide what could potentially be a dangerous and distracting handheld electronic device, the Mirror reports.
But today, senior police officers have warned drivers that using e-cigarettes could risk obscuring their vision with large clouds of vapour.
Vaping can causes excessive amounts of smoke and may momentarily blind drivers could result in fatal crashes, they said.
The penalty can be disqualification, three to nine points on your licence, or a fine of up to £2,500 – for those prosecuted for driving without due care and attention.
Sergeant Carl Knapp with the Sussex Road 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.”
Sgt Knapp who has been with the force for 22 years added: “I strongly advise people to pay 100 percent attention to the roads when driving as anything that takes that attention away has the potential of severe consequences.
“There are no laws prohibiting vaping, however, you need to be in full and proper control of your vehicle at all times.
“If you are going to vape I advise that you open your windows and blow the vapour directly out, just ensure that you are in full control of your vehicle before doing so.”
Brake – the road safety charity that works with communities and organisations across the UK to try and prevent the tragedy of road deaths and injuries have spoken out about the use of vapes.
A spokeswoman for Brake said: “Driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do on a daily basis; it is a complex task, that requires your full attention to do so safely.
“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.
“Our roads are busy places, and we would urge drivers to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times.”
