Is Smoking Driving Your Health Downhill?

This weekend whether you're stuck in a huge traffic jam on your way to a holiday destination or just going for a leisurely drive. We're asking you to stop and consider the following facts before lighting up.

• Smoking in a car damages the health of the other passengers particularly babies and young children. They often have little or no choice when it comes to putting up with someone else's smoke. Children are particularly susceptible to the effects of second-hand smoking. Their bronchial tubes are smaller and their immune systems are less developed, making them more likely to develop respiratory and ear infections when exposed to second-hand smoke.
• If you are smoking and driving you increase your risk of having an accident. About 1% of driving distractions are smoking related.
• By smoking in the car you increase the risk of starting a fire in the car or outside of the car with discarded cigarettes.
• 'Smoked in' cars have a lower resale value. About £400 can 'go up in smoke' on the resale value of an average car. Low priced cars lose about £50 per burn mark.