There’s nothing higher than a fast journey via the Maccas drive-through for a cheeky burger on the way in which residence, proper? Even when it places your self, your passengers and different highway customers in peril, and will make a McRoyal mess of your inside if you inevitably drop sauce in your seat…
- Consuming whereas driving isn’t unlawful
- It is advisable to make sure you keep automobile management
- Pull over for 5 minutes to complete your burger – it would prevent some huge cash
Analysis has discovered that whereas texting and driving may be very distracting, attempting to fill your gob with goodness will be simply as distracting.
Certainly, there’s an opportunity that the umbrella time period “distracted driving” may develop to incorporate consuming and driving in some jurisdictions.
There’s no federal regulation on it, however right here’s a rundown on the state legal guidelines that might have an effect on you in case you’re a motoring muncher.
New South Wales
There’s no particular regulation round consuming whereas driving in New South Wales, however relying on the circumstances, a driver could also be charged with negligent driving in the event that they have been deemed to be placing their very own life and different folks’s lives in peril.
The utmost penalty for negligent driving for a first-time offender, leading to a demise, is $3300, or 18 months imprisonment. You may also lose your licence for all times, too.
If negligent driving leads to the grievous bodily hurt of another person as an alternative of their demise, the utmost penalty for a primary offence is a $2200 superb or 9 months’ imprisonment.
Queensland
Consuming whereas driving isn’t unlawful in Queensland, but when issues went very badly, you could possibly be in strife.
A Fb submit by Queensland’s Transport and Major Roads division in late 2022 bought a little bit of consideration, suggesting the highway rule round “having correct management of a automobile” may very well be interpreted in a manner that, in case you have been driving, consuming, and deemed to not be in management, or “driving with out care and a spotlight”, you could possibly cop a bit fats superb.
The submit alluded to the notion of solely having one hand on the steering wheel, or trying away from the highway forward, as being the harmful elements of that state of affairs. “It’s finest to drag over in a protected spot to savour that sandwich!”, the submit concluded.
The Queensland Authorities says the superb for “driving with out due care and a spotlight” is $619 and three demerit factors.
Victoria
The state with a number of the most assertive guidelines for the highway, and a number of the most aggressive expertise to catch folks doing the flawed factor, hasn’t bought a “sambo cam” simply but. And it isn’t unlawful to eat whilst you drive there. Not but, anyway.
South Australia
There’s no particular regulation in SA about consuming and driving. However there are guidelines that may very well be left open to interpretation, ought to one thing surprising occur whilst you’re consuming some leftover pizza on Hutt Road.
The state’s highway guidelines handbook calls out distractions that may trigger harmful driving, together with, however not restricted to, consuming, ingesting, smoking and even speaking to different passengers. The federal government’s In the direction of Zero Collectively initiative goes additional, classifying the 4 principal sorts of driver distraction:
- Visible – the belongings you see
- Auditory – the belongings you hear
- Bodily – the belongings you do along with your arms
- Cognitive – the issues you consider
“To anticipate and keep away from hazards on the highway, drivers should give driving their full consideration always,” a webpage from the South Australia Division for Infrastructure and Transport states.
“Taking your eyes off of the highway or diverting your consideration even for only a few seconds will be deadly.”
Australian Capital Territory
Driving with out correct management – that’s the wording that might see you cop a $420 superb in case you’re caught driving whereas consuming and police deem you weren’t being as attentive as you could possibly have been, specifically dropping management of your automobile.
Go simple on the Kingsley’s in Canberra, then.
Northern Territory
Ever seen somebody consuming a bowl of cereal whereas driving? I’ve, and so has Senior Sergeant Garry Smith, who instructed the Northern Territory Information about it.
He had a powerful – arguably appropriate – opinion about chomping on Corn Flakes in your automobile: “Don’t do it – you don’t have efficient management of the automobile,” he mentioned.
The NT’s Driving Security Guidelines even has a dot level about it: “Take a break and pull over slightly than consuming, ingesting, smoking or grooming if you’re driving.”
Western Australia
In one other case of Weet-Bix gone flawed, a lady in Perth was charged in 2018 for consuming cereal whereas driving.
Properly truly, she was charged with driving with out due care and a spotlight. However that’s a fairly robust precedent to both eat your brekky earlier than you allow residence, or a minimum of make it a chunk of toast as an alternative, because the motorist copped a $300 superb and three demerit factors.
Presently, the utmost imposable superb for this offence is $1500.
Tasmania
The Apple Isle is a mighty superb place to drive, and to dine, however don’t go doing each directly.
There’s an opportunity that, in case you’re caught, you could possibly be fined and lose demerit factors for consuming whereas driving. Once more, it falls underneath the class of “having correct management of your automobile” or “driving with out due care and a spotlight”, and the repercussions to your pockets shall be a $195 superb and three demerit factors.
Not meant as authorized recommendation. Examine with the related roads authority in your state or territory.
