Can you smoke while driving? This is what the DGT says

Smokers today are increasingly cornered. This is due to a steadily shrinking freedom of action and a growing list of places where smoking is not allowed. That is why it makes sense to ask whether you can smoke while driving. What does the Dirección General de Tráfico say about smoking behind the wheel?

Is it forbidden to smoke while driving? The simplest and quickest answer is no. Smoking while driving is not considered a criminal offence, so in principle there is no problem in doing it, apart from the damage it causes to your lungs and to those travelling with you. However, although it is not prohibited, smoking can be penalised if the officer considers that it constitutes a distraction while driving.

Is smoking in the car punishable?

The Dirección General de Tráfico considers that smoking while driving is a punishable act if it constitutes a distraction at the wheel. To give you an idea, the mere act of lighting a cigarette represents a four-second distraction during which you are not paying attention to the road. It may seem a very short lapse, but a lot can happen in that time, especially if you are travelling at high speed.

In addition to this distraction, there is also the fact that ash falling onto the driver’s lap can lead to greater carelessness and have highly undesirable consequences. If a traffic officer considers that smoking is causing a distraction, they may fine the driver up to 100 euros.

It is important to bear in mind that throwing cigarette butts out of the window is a more serious offence, carrying a penalty of 200 euros and the loss of four points from the driving licence. It cannot be ruled out that the regulations may change or become stricter in the future, as is already happening with DGT environmental labels, which the agency is considering modifying, even adding new categories.