A new national survey has revealed the most common driving distraction among Australian drivers, and it outranks mobile phone use.
Research commissioned for National Road Safety Week found 35 per cent of Australians admitted to eating while driving, with organisers saying the behaviour occurs “at more than double the rate of mobile phone use”.
More than 1000 Australians across different age groups took part in the survey, which examined common distractions and risky driving habits.
Drivers in Western Australia were the most likely to eat while driving, with 43 per cent admitting to the habit, followed by motorists in Victoria at 37 per cent, New South Wales at 34 per cent, Queensland at 33 per cent, and South Australia at 30 per cent.
Gen X drivers aged between 46 and 61 were the most likely to eat while driving, with 40 per cent confessing to the behaviour.
Gen Z motorists aged 17 to 29 were close behind at 39 per cent, while millennials aged 30 to 45 were the least likely to do so at 28 per cent.
Although eating while driving is not specifically banned under Australian law, drivers can still face fines if it causes them to lose proper control of their vehicle.
A spokesperson for Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads previously told Drive: “While there are currently no laws prohibiting drivers from eating while driving, it is up to the driver to ensure they remain in proper control of the vehicle and sufficiently alert to the environment”.
National Road Safety Week founder Peter Frazer said the findings highlighted how distractions extend beyond mobile phones.
“This data shows that we can’t focus solely on mobile phones and let an equally prevalent danger go unnoticed. The ‘hungry driver’ is a national road safety blind spot and another distraction we cannot afford to ignore,” Frazer said.
While eating topped the list of distractions, mobile phone use remained a major concern, particularly among younger drivers.
The survey found 92 per cent of respondents believed mobile phone use while driving was dangerous, yet many still admitted to doing it.
Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z drivers said they checked text messages while stopped at red lights, while more than half of millennials admitted to the same behaviour.
Half of Gen Z respondents also confessed to taking photos or videos while driving, alongside 40 per cent of millennials.
Despite this, younger Australians were also the most supportive of stronger restrictions, with 45 per cent of Gen Z and millennials backing a total ban on mobile phone use while driving.
Frazer said the results showed education campaigns alone were not enough.
“They believe phone use is dangerous, but they continue to do it. Self-regulation is clearly not enough,” he said.
“Distraction costs lives, and our only job at the wheel is to actively protect everyone on the road ahead. That is a choice we can all make, because everyone has a right to get home safe, every day, with no exceptions,” he added.
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