Driver Fined $1,000 for Buttering Bagel While Driving
A Queensland driver has been fined over $1,000 for allegedly buttering a bagel while driving in Toowoomba. The 29-year-old man was caught driving with his knees and was issued with a traffic infringement notice.
A 29-year-old man from Glenvale has been fined $1,104 and received three demerit points for allegedly driving without due care and attention and driving an unregistered vehicle.
According to police, the man was seen driving with his knees while buttering a bagel in busy traffic in Toowoomba on Monday afternoon.
The driver, who is on a provisional licence, told police in body-worn footage that he was hungry. "I know that was stupid, but I was hungry," he said. "[I] have been working since this morning."
The police officer who pulled him over also told him that he was driving an unregistered vehicle. "I can't understand how you thought that would be a great idea in all that traffic," the officer said.
The fine and demerit points were issued as part of a traffic infringement notice for driving without due care and attention and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Police Urge Drivers to Stay Focused
Darling Downs District Officer Acting Superintendent Kelly Hanlen emphasized the importance of drivers staying focused on the road. "Taking your hands and focus away from the task of driving, even for something as seemingly harmless like preparing food, can have serious consequences," she said.
"There is no meal, message or other distraction worth risking your safety or the safety of other road users. If you're driving, keep your attention on the road and your hands where they belong: on the wheel."