When I was a kid, riding in the car was a very different experience. Seatbelts were optional, parents smoked with the windows up, and no one gave it a second thought. Things have changed a lot since then, especially when it comes to protecting kids from secondhand smoke.
Is It Illegal?
New York doesn’t have a statewide ban on smoking in a car with children inside, but some places have their own rules. In the city of Schenectady, smoking in a vehicle with a passenger under sixteen is prohibited. Erie County also bans smoking in vehicles with children under eighteen. So depending on where you’re driving, lighting up could mean a fine.
Legal or not, I can’t imagine sitting in a car full of cigarette smoke now. Cars are small spaces, and opening a window doesn’t magically make the smoke disappear. The New York State Department of Health says smoke from one cigarette can linger in a car for hours, and Kids are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke.
What Are The Effects Of Smoking in Cars?
It can trigger asthma attacks, contribute to respiratory infections, and make breathing harder for children whose lungs are still developing. They also can’t get up and leave when they’re buckled into the back seat.
If you smoke and you’re traveling with children, the simplest choice is to wait until you’re out of the car and away from them. Keeping the car smoke-free means they won’t climb into leftover smoke on the next ride…