Drivers who vape while driving may be fined up to €120 by an insurance company if gardaí determine that it has impaired their driving.
While it’s not against the law to vape in a car, drivers who are distracted by the vapour from e-cigarettes may face charges of reckless driving because the emissions have the potential to reduce vision and result in accidents.
According to Conor Mulcahy, a Quote Devil automotive specialist, driving while vaping puts other drivers, passengers, and drivers themselves at “huge risk.”
He noted that drivers frequently overlook the real regulations pertaining to vapes, stating that it is illegal to smoke in a car while an underage passenger is present.
If you vape while driving and get distracted, you may also be fined for careless driving, which carries a two-point penalty and a €80 fine. The fee increases to €120 if you currently have four penalty points on your licence.
He cautioned that you might face up to two years in prison and a fine of up to €10,000 if you crashed your car due to being distracted by vaping and this caused significant bodily harm.
The next time you think about using a vape while driving, you risk paying a large fee, receiving penalty points, and maybe going to jail.
According to a recent study by the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction, 265,500 persons in Ireland use electronic cigarettes.
According to a special Irish Mirror investigation published last week, youngsters as young as 10 are vaping, and 14-year-olds can readily purchase the items on the main street.
Should you be encountering any of the difficulties outlined in this article, please reach out to us, and our team will try to help in any way possible.