Little known rule that could land Aussie drivers with $600 fine

An unfamiliar road rule has set social media ablaze after Queensland’s Department of Transport, and Main Roads took it upon themselves to lay down the law.

“You can be fined $575 and three demerit points if you don’t have proper control of your vehicle,” the department explained on Facebook.

“So make sure you’re not one-handing the wheel or taking your eyes off the road to eat,” the department posted.

“Obviously, you’re allowed to take a hand off the wheel for a short time to operate your vehicle, but eating while you’re driving could be interpreted as not having proper control of your vehicle and driving distracted,” they clarified.

The penalty falls under the state’s driver distraction penalties, but Queensland is far from alone when penalising freeway feasts.

In 2018, a Perth teenager was slapped with a $300 fine and lost three demerit points after she was caught shovelling down a bowl of cereal behind the wheel.

The 19-year-old was later blasted by the state’s top cop on local radio.

“You can’t be driving a car and eating your brekkie at the same time. That is just ridiculously dangerous,” former WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson told local radio.

“Whatever charge we can apportion to that driver, we will … this is serious and a matter we will follow up. It’s incomprehensible.”

The maximum penalty for careless driving in WA is $600.

In NSW, drivers caught eating or drinking could be fined $469 and docked three demerit points.

Eating or drinking doesn’t have its own penalty in the Northern Territory but can be considered careless driving, which carries a $150 fine.

South Australian drivers can be fined $201 for not having proper control of their vehicle, while the same offence could cost you $301 in the ACT.

Drivers who are eating or drinking in Tasmania could cop a $173 fine and lose three demerit points for not having proper control of their vehicle or driving without due care and attention.

If eating or drinking interferes with your driving or causes a crash, you could be charged with careless driving, which carries a $436 and three demerit point penalty.

But Queenslanders were none too thankful for the gentle reminder.

“How can you fine people for ‘distractions’ like this when billboards on the sides of roads are actually designed to distract drivers with their LED displays and bright colours?” one person wrote.

“Oh, I get it, you lot have exhausted everything else to fine us for, so now we can’t eat behind the wheel. What next?” asked another.