If you use Google Maps, apply make-up or even eat fast food in the car while at the wheel, you might well be charged for careless or negligent driving.
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And as The Standard understands, under section 65 of the Road Safety Act 1986, this could include eating a hamburger or even yoghurt while driving.
Two motorists were nabbed for failing to have proper control of a vehicle after they were caught eating behind the wheel in a two-day road police operation in the city's CBD last week. They were each fined $242.
Senior Constable Corey Holland, of Warrnambool police highway patrol unit, said 71 offences were identified over the two days.
He said nine motorists were caught driving without a seat belt, three without a licence and two who disobeyed traffic lights.
Other offences included driving a probationary prohibited vehicle, following too closely and speeding by less than 10km/h.
Police impounded a vehicle after a motorist drove without a licence and then refused a drug test.
Warrnambool police Senior Sergeant Shane Keogh said motorists’ focus should be on the road at all times.
“It's a dangerous enough place to be with other cars travelling at speed coming the other way,” he said.
"You need to have two hands on the wheel. If you're looking forward on the road, then you're in a good place, but if you've only got one hand on the wheel and looking down at your lap, you're acting carelessly and/or negligently.
"If you're eating yoghurt in the car, you'll either have it in between your knees or on your lap and you'd be trying to spoon it out... depending on the circumstances it could be viewed as careless or negligent driving.”
But while drivers will need to wait until they get home to tuck into a burger, a passenger would be within their rights to drink a beer in the front seat.
"Passengers are allowed to eat and drink...the only exclusion on them is in the CBD and Warrambool among a few other places, where people cannot get out of the car with an open vessel of alcohol," Mr Keogh said.
"We don't encourage it, but as the law stands, that would be fine."
According to Vic Roads, drivers can use their phone if the device is secured in a commerically designed holder fixed to the vehicle, or can be operated by the driver without touching any part of the phone and the phone isn't resting on their body.
Drivers who break this law in Victoria face an on-the-spot fine of $476 and will incur four demerit points.
Using a hand-held mobile phone is also illegal when your vehicle is stationary but not parked, for example when you’re stopped at traffic lights.
However, learner and probationary drivers are not permitted to use a hands-free mobile phone at any time while driving.