Government cracking down on food habits of van drivers

Van drivers are being warned of the dangers of eating behind the wheel following a Government announced in May that a new penalty of three points, as well as a £90 fine, is being considered for drivers who eat while driving.

It comes after police forces have labelled such eating as dangerous behaviour, while officers in Liverpool claim to have caught certain motorists eating sandwiches from a lunchbox suspended over the steering wheel.

In a recent survey nearly 59 per cent of van drivers admitted to eating behind the wheel of their vehicles, according to research conducted by Commercial Vehicle Direct.

Experts claim that eating while driving is more dangerous than using a phone or being intoxicated, with reaction times suffering by up to 44 per cent, as opposed to a 37.4 per cent reduction in reaction times whilst texting.

Andrew Jackson, the Director of Retail Broking at Commercial Vehicle Direct has said: "While it's not yet illegal to eat and drive, it's likely to be law soon and some police forces are taking pre-emptive action If commercial vehicle drivers want to avoid fines and hefty increases in insurance premiums following convictions, they need to eat before they jump in the driving seat."

Pre-emptive measures that are already in place include Operation Truckcam, which targets those who are eating, using their mobiles or reading.