As of May 2025, there is no Kentucky state law that explicitly prohibits vaping (using an e-cigarette) while driving a privately owned vehicle. Unlike texting or handheld phone use, vaping is not singled out in Kentucky statutes as an offense for adult drivers in their personal cars.
Distracted and Careless Driving Laws Apply
However, this does not mean vaping while driving is risk-free or immune from legal consequences. Kentucky has broad distracted and careless driving laws that can apply to any activity-including vaping-that impairs your ability to drive safely.
Key points:
- Distracted driving in Kentucky is defined as any activity that diverts attention from driving, including visual, manual, or cognitive distractions.
- Careless driving statute (KRS 189.290): Requires all drivers to operate their vehicles “in a careful manner, with regard for the safety and convenience of pedestrians and other vehicles upon the highway.”
- If vaping causes you to drive erratically, take your eyes off the road, remove your hands from the wheel, or otherwise compromise safety (e.g., clouds of vapor obscure your vision), you could be cited for careless or distracted driving-even though vaping itself is not directly banned.
Specific Restrictions: State and School Vehicles
- State-owned vehicles: Vaping is banned in all vehicles owned, leased, or operated by the Kentucky state government.
- School property and vehicles: Vaping is prohibited on all school property and in school vehicles at all times.
Youth and Device Laws
- Drivers under 18: Kentucky law prohibits the use of personal communication devices while driving, but this typically refers to phones and not vape devices.
- New product restrictions (2025): Recent laws restrict the sale of certain vape products but do not directly address use while driving.
Practical Advice
- Law enforcement has discretion: If an officer believes vaping is distracting you or causing unsafe driving, you can be stopped and cited under general traffic laws.
- Best practice: To avoid legal trouble and ensure safety, do not vape while driving. If you must vape, pull over safely first.
Table: Vaping and Driving in Kentucky
| Situation | Is It Illegal? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vaping while driving (private car) | No explicit ban | Can be cited if it causes distracted/careless driving |
| Vaping in state vehicles | Yes | Explicitly prohibited |
| Vaping in school vehicles/property | Yes | Explicitly prohibited |
| Drivers under 18 | Not specifically banned | Device laws focus on phones, not vape devices |
While vaping and driving is not specifically illegal in Kentucky, it can still lead to a citation if it distracts you or impairs your driving. Vaping is strictly banned in state and school vehicles. For your safety and to avoid legal risk, it is best to avoid vaping while operating any vehicle.
Sources
[1] https://ecigator.com/guide/kentucky-vaping-driving-laws/
[2] https://www.whas11.com/article/news/politics/kentucky-vaping-law-vape-lawsuit-dismissed/417-e31300cc-cb32-4c25-a7d1-488e6e5d6819
[3] https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/new-laws-coming-to-kentucky-starting-in-2025
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQRPQLt6zAM
[5] https://spectrumnews1.com/ky/louisville/politics/2024/12/27/new-vape-laws-taking-effect