Don’t eat and drive – survey

With the summer holiday season upon us, and with it long car journeys, it’s high time that we started to get serious about the risks attached to eating whilst driving; a recent online YouGov survey by Claims.co.uk has shown that 51 per cent of drivers admit to having eaten whilst driving.

Despite not seeming as irresponsible as driving under the influence, or whilst on the phone, it’s thought that drinking and eating when driving doubles the likelihood of having a car crash. It’s also believed to slow down reaction time by 44 per cent, and previous research has found that two million motorists have had an accident or a near miss after driving with one hand on the wheel.

Many Britons are unaware of both the risks and the consequences of driving while eating. While it is not an illegal act, drivers can be fined for failing to drive with due care and attention, or found guilty of dangerous driving. Conviction of offences can often result in the driver losing their job, and applied points could total enough for a driving disqualification and higher insurance premiums; as much as 40 per cent higher than normal.

Last summer we saw France make eating whilst driving illegal, now it’s time for Britain to consider the risks that are taken when not focusing properly on driving – especially when as many as half of us are guilty of doing it.