Driving with Due Care And Attention

Everybody knows that driving while using a mobile phone that is not connected to a hands free kit is illegal. Being caught doing so can result in a fixed fine and penalty points which can have an effect on you women's car insurance.

Early in 2005 a women was issued with a fixed penalty fine for eating an apple behind the wheel of her car. With the Highway Code stating that a driver should 'avoid' eating and drinking behind the wheel of a car, what can and can't we do when driving?

The problem is that if the police can stop and fine you for an action that is described as a 'distraction to be avoided' according to the Highway Code, then they can stop you for numerous offences. Included in the list of 'distractions to be avoided' are listening to loud music, tuning the radio and inserting cassettes or CD's. Who can actually claim that they have never pumped up that stereo volume or changed the CD while driving?

Where the law starts to get complicated is that a police officer can stop you if they feel you are not in complete control of your vehicle or are driving without due care or attention. I suppose this is fair enough because if you are driving without due care and attention or are not in complete control of your vehicle then you are endangering other road users. The fact is that if I was stopped and fined for changing the tape in my stereo I would think the police officer was crazy. Where would it stop? You could be issued with a fine and penalty points, increasing your car insurance for waving to a friend or smoking a cigarette.

The laws don't necessarily need to be changed as long as drivers and the police carry on using some common sense. If we all took a long hard look at what we are doing in the car that may distract us from the road then we could all reduce the risk of accident, fixed fines and penalty points that all lead to increased car insurance premiums.