SMOKING at the wheel of a vehicle has always been a risky business.

In addition to health risks there is the fact that you are holding a piece of paper and leaf that is smouldering while trying to maintain control.

Cigarettes, cigars and pipes - it does not matter which - they are all alight and can be a dangerous distraction.

And it is even worse when children are in the car.

The case has been taken up this week by road safety and breakdown cover specialist GEM Motoring Assist which offers its full support for the ban on smoking in cars carrying children.

Smoking in private vehicles when someone under 18 is illegal from October 1 2015. The law will apply to every driver in England and Wales, including those aged 17 and those with a provisional driving licence.

GEM chief executive David Williams said: "We welcome the ban, which we believe offers an important step in protecting the health of children. Smoking in cars is particularly bad for children, who cannot escape the poisonous fumes that have been linked to so many health issues and infections.

"We hope the arrival of this new law will give smokers a new incentive to improve their own health as well as that of young people who may travel with them.

"We see this as a great opportunity for all drivers to implement wider safety checks and ensure the risks their children face on road journeys are as low as possible. So as well as ensuring all children now travel in a smoke-free car, we encourage parents and carers to ensure that seat belts are always used - by every occupant on every journey - and that any child safety restraints in use are in good working condition and comply with the law."

Wise words indeed. I grew up at a time when smoking was the thing to do and was subjected to secondary smoking and for a while smoked a pipe. Happily we are now better educated and the ban on smoking with children in the car is definitely a breath of fresh air.