Eating whilst driving: A costly move

Once again major insurance providers have found another way of increasing insurance premiums for the masses. The latest money grabbing technique by car insurance providers is to increase the premiums of any driver that has been stopped driving whilst eating.

Insurance providers are referring to such an action as a “distraction” with some companies charging drivers guilty of being “distracted” up to an extra £200 per year. A number of actions are classed as a distraction, from taking a drink, tuning the radio and reading a map, giving insurance providers the chance to maximise the amount of customers they can catch with this new ruling.

However, for insurers to be able to increase premiums for such an offence the driver must have been convicted of driving without due car and attention, known as a CD10 offence, for which thousands of people are convicted each year for in Britain. Being distracted whilst at the wheel is a dangerous act and one that should be avoided. However, drivers are punished enough for this crime when convicted and forced to pay a fine without being punished further by their car insurance advice providers! This is Money reports that police in Manchester have taken the step of fitting new Smart cars with spy cameras to catch out careless drivers. As mentioned careless driver is inexcusable however this does pose the question, is there not something more important to commit Police time and money to? Gun and knife crime perhaps?