NO ONE in Oxfordshire has been punished for smoking in a car with children since it became illegal last year, with Thames Valley Police saying officers will not go out of their way to stop drivers breaking the law.

Figures obtained by the Oxford Mail through a Freedom of Information request reveal no adult has been referred to court, fined or even warned for committing the driving offence.

The legislation, which came in last October, aims to protect young people under 18 from second-hand smoke, but police insist are more concerned with other road crimes.

Chief Inspector Henry Parsons, head of roads policing for Thames Valley Police, said: “Officers focus enforcement activity on reducing the numbers of people who die or who are seriously injured on the roads through targeted enforcement of speed, distraction, drink or drug driving and seatbelt offences.

“When the existing smoke-free law was extended to vehicles in October 2015, police forces across the country, including Thames Valley Police, were advised to take an educational, advisory and non-confrontational approach when enforcing the new legislation.

“This was to give people warnings, rather than issuing them with fines, to allow time for public awareness of the offences to increase."

Ch Insp Parsons said only when officers are policing other road crimes would action be taken.

The Public Health Cabinet Member for Oxfordshire County Council, Hilary Hibbert-Biles said she is happy the smoking ban was introduced.

She said: “I welcomed the legislation to prevent adults exposing children to secondhand smoke in vehicles as an excellent way of highlighting a particular behaviour as unacceptable in the modern day.

“For me, the existence of the law and the message that sends out is more important than the number of prosecutions.”

The law was introduced following advice from health experts, who said it was fundamental in efforts to protect around three million children a year exposed in this way to second hand smoke.

Anti-smoking group Smokefreelife Oxfordshire declined to comment on the issue.