A

There is a bit of confusion when it comes to whether eating while driving is allowed in Australia as it is kind of a legal gray area in most states. While there are no specific road rules that ban eating behind the wheel, drivers might as well not eat on the road to avoid being heavily fined.

NEW SOUTH WALES

If the police catch you eating while driving in New South Wales, they can book you for driving without proper control of the vehicle. This comes with a $448 fine and three demerit points and that rises to a $561 fine and four demerit points if the offence is committed in a school zone.

AUSTRALINA CAPITAL TERRITORY

Not pulling over to eat can also land you in hot water in the ACT. Much like NSW, drivers can be charged with driving without proper control of their car, which comes with a $292 fine. Drivers can also be given a $385 fine and three demerit points if their distraction results in a crash.

VICTORIA

In Victoria, you could be forced to pay a $387 fine along with racking up three demerit points if the police catch you having a meal on the road.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

While the law in South Australia doesn’t specifically state that eating while driving is illegal, the SA Driver’s Handbook does name eating as a common distraction. Driving without having proper control of the vehicle could cost you $184 and six demerit points in South Australia.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

If the police catch a driver eating on the road in the Northern Territory, they may charge him with “driving in a dangerous manner”. This means the driver could get a $500 fine and three demerit points.

1. What does the underlined sentence suggest?

A. It is not an easy job to ban eating while driving in the state.

B. Eating behind the wheel can cause the driver lots of trouble.

C. It is important to educate drivers to be aware of driving safety.

D. It is common that many drivers in the state eat while driving.

2. How much will a driver caught eating while driving in a school zone in NSW be fined?

A. $385.                            B. $387.                             C. $448.                            D. $561.

3. Where will a driver be fined most if caught eating behind the wheel?

A. In the Northern Territory.                                         B. In Victoria.

C. In South Australia                                                    D. In the Australian Capital Territory.