Distracted driving is one of the most published driving hazards. We however seldom recognize the whole range of distracted driving activities. We tend to focus only on cellular phone conversations and texting while driving.
A UK insurance company, Swinton Insurance, has recently revealed survey results on distracted driving – and interestingly, also focused on eating while driving! The survey focused on the responses from 1,200 online customers.
Survey on Eating while driving
- A staggering 35% of motorists admitted to eating while driving.
- 25% of respondents confessed to eating behind the wheel regularly.
- Eleven per cent of motorists admitted to regularly eating their breakfast from behind the wheel.
What are the dangers of eating while driving?
Eating behind a wheel can cause a driver to become distracted and cause accidents on the road. A driver could even be convicted of driving without due car and attention, could be penalized under the proposed demerit system and accidents will negatively affect future car insurance quotes.
Steve Chelton, Insurance Development Manager at Swinton said, “If you are in a rush somewhere then eating behind the wheel might seem like a good option, however motorists need to give their full attention to the road. Driving while distracted is against the law and being convicted of the offence could mean penalty points and a hefty fine.”
It is important that vehicle owners and road users are made aware of the full spectrum of distracted driving. We would like to urge all road users to view the following section on the Arrive Alive website: