Delight or Distraction: Can You Smoke a Cigar While Driving?

Driving is essential for lots of people. But it’s not always just about getting from A to B. Time in your car is part of the fun. So, can you smoke a cigar while driving?

In many places, it is not strictly illegal to smoke while driving. So, you can enjoy the pleasant flavor of a cigar even on the morning commute. However, it remains crucial to heed various potential legal and safety considerations.

Can You Smoke a Cigar and Drive?

Many benefits of cigar smoking are especially easy to appreciate in the car. The reinvigorating taste of a stogie can relieve stress. It can make a boring trip bearable and an already enjoyable trip even more so.

Legally, though, can you smoke a cigar while driving? It very much depends on how you’re smoking it. If it distracts you from the road, you can be found guilty of dangerous driving. You can also needlessly put others at risk even when you’re technically on the right side of the law.

State Laws

Smoking laws vary by state and country. In the United States, no federal law bans smoking in a personal vehicle with child passengers. However, 12 states do impose their own bans. Furthermore, the exact terms of smoking laws can differ between jurisdictions.

California, Illinois and Oregon prohibit smoking in vehicles with under-18s present. However, the maximum age of permitted passengers is lower in other states. It is under 16 in Delaware and West Virginia, 15 in Utah and 14 in Alabama.

There are also many nuances in the law in other countries. Most European countries outlaw smoking in cars with minors present. Nonetheless, the exact age limits differ between countries. Turkey and Mauritius prohibit smoking in any car carrying passengers, whatever their age. Meanwhile, Italy, Latvia and Lithuania have banned smoking in cars altogether.

Public Spaces and Vehicles

Can you smoke cigars while driving work vehicles? The likes of buses, trains and cabs regularly carry members of the public. Many jurisdictions, including dozens of US states, ban smoking in enclosed public spaces. Company-owned public transit vehicles are definitely included in this category.

Other types of work vehicle — like trucks, tractors and delivery vans — are only used by workers. However, these vehicles are seen as workplaces in the eyes of the law. Hence, smoking bans specifically mentioning ‘workplaces’ are likely to cover work vehicles, too.

Even when they don’t, the employer can still potentially enforce their own smoking ban. So, if you are tasked with operating any of these vehicles, it’s worth checking company policy.

Here’s an overview of how smoking bans differ for drivers across various US territories:

Health and Safety Concerns

When smoking, it’s important to stay aware of your surroundings. This advice is especially applicable when you’re also driving. Here are just some health and safety concerns to heed:

• Distraction: It’s vital to keep concentrating firmly on your driving. If the cigar takes too much of your attention, you risk ignoring crucial road safety rules. For example, the vehicle can start moving too quickly or veer off course.
• Health Implications: Smoking near others can expose them to high levels of secondhand smoke. Avoid lighting up in vehicles where children and pets are present. Both are especially vulnerable to the health risks of passive smoking.

Tips for Smoking a Cigar While Driving

Many general dos and don’ts of cigar smoking come into play when you’re on the road, too. However, the following tips can also help to protect both your physical and legal safety:

• Use a Travel Ashtray: Many modern cars don’t come with built-in ashtrays. Even if your car does have one, it likely lacks a proper cigar rest. So, invest in a travel ashtray designed to fit into a standard cupholder.
• Keep the Windows Cracked: This will allow the cigar smoke to easily escape the vehicle. Better still, if your car’s got a sunroof, slide that open instead. You don’t want lingering smoke to potentially give you a coughing fit.
• Light the Cigar Properly: It can take a while to properly prepare a cigar for smoking. There’s a lot involved, including cutting, lighting, and toasting. So, it’s best to do all of that before turning the engine on.
• Dispose of the Cigar Butt Safely: Once your cigar has been fully extinguished, put it in an ashtray or waste bin. Don’t simply throw it out of the vehicle’s window. Doing so is seen as littering, a legal offense in itself.

So, Can You Smoke a Cigar While Driving?

Generally, yes, you can. Typically though, various conditions apply. The good news is that when you smoke on the road both legally and safely, it can hugely enhance the fun of your journey.

Your choice of cigar can make all the difference. Smaller sticks, like the Cohiba Robusto, are best for commutes. If you’re about to head off on a road trip, you can stock up on multiple cigars. Alternatively, go for just one long-lasting stogie, like the Romeo y Julieta Churchill.

These are all ready and waiting for you here at Swiss Cuban Cigars. Our online store offers enticing options from a vast range of prestigious brands. Order today for delivery straight to your door.