'At-work' drivers more likely to eat at the wheel!

Research by road safety charity Brake showed that those driving at work were far more likely to eat behind the wheel, with only one in 25 (4%) of other motorists admitting to the potentially lethal activity.

The survey also found at-work drivers were twice as likely to break the law at least once each week by using a hand-held mobile while driving - one in ten (11%) compared to one in 20 other drivers (5%).

Brake claimed the findings indicated that at-work drivers were "much more likely" to risk what it called "crazy multi-tasking". The charity urged companies to ensure that employees were instructed to never eat or take calls while on the move.

Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns for Brake said: "Crazy multi-tasking while driving causes deaths and injuries. Drivers must plan regular breaks on long journeys to allow time to eat and make phone calls, as well as to ensure they aren't driving tired.

"Driving is the most dangerous activity that most of us do on a daily basis. No-one would dream of snacking on a sarnie or picking up the phone while using a chain saw or doing any other safety-critical job – and we mustn't when driving."

Distracting talk

Ms Keeler cited research by Fleet News which showed that eating while driving could cause "a significant delay to reaction times". The study, carried out using the British School of Motoring's (BSM) driving simulator, revealed that eating a bag of crisps while driving slowed down reaction times by 29%.

Brake also highlighted the case of a Dutch lorry driver who was jailed for eight weeks and banned from driving for a year in June 2007, after he was caught eating spaghetti from a pan while driving erratically along a dual carriageway in North Wales! He admitted to dangerous driving.

Recent Government figures have suggested that the message is getting through to drivers on the use of hand-held mobile phones. This month the Department for Transport (DfT) reported a 40% reduction in the number of car drivers seen using hand-held mobiles at the wheel between September 2006 and August 2007.

However, Brake believes that it is the distraction of the conversation which poses a risk to motorists, rather than the fact that a phone is hand-held. It wants the Government to make it illegal to use hands-free as well as hand-held mobile phones while driving.

"While the law allows hands-free kits to be used, drivers will continue to put themselves and others at risk," said a spokesperson for the charity.