The Chronicle

Six craziest things drivers caught doing

Keep your eyes on the road and your status ‘alive’

- Georja Ryan georja.ryan@apn.com.au

YOU may think you’re a stellar multi-tasker, but when behind the wheel, police are demanding people lose some of that confidence.

Mobile phones continue to rate as the biggest distractio­n to motorists and officer in charge at Nambour Road Policing Unit Senior Sergeant Shane Panoho said drivers needed to resist temptation and be 100% focused on driving when behind the wheel.

“It doesn’t matter how many times we hammer it, people are still willing to pick up a phone and check Facebook or check their status on other social media or on a dating page or whatever,” Snr Sgt Panoho said.

“It’s just astounding that they’re more concerned about what’s going on outside of their vehicle than what’s right in front of them. They’re not only putting their life at risk, but every other road user.”

It was now protocol to seize any mobile phones from people involved in a crash to determine whether it was a contributi­ng factor because there was a high chance it was.

“We would anticipate distractio­ns like mobile phones make up at least 20% of the cause for traffic crashes and fatals,” Snr Sgt Panoho said.

But it’s not always phones distractin­g drivers.

We caught up with some police officers across Queensland to find out some of the craziest things they have seen drivers doing while behind the wheel.

We’ve narrowed it down to the top six:

Mobile phones – Facebook, Snapchat, social media, surfing the web, taking photos etc.

Doing work on an iPad while driving at 100km on the highway

Sexual acts Putting on make-up Brushing their hair Eating cereal from a bowl with a spoon. And eating anything at all.

 ?? PHOTO: IMAGEEGAMI ?? BE SMART: Police are urging motorists to ditch the phone, mascara or whatever else they’re doing when behind the wheel to focus on the road.
PHOTO: IMAGEEGAMI BE SMART: Police are urging motorists to ditch the phone, mascara or whatever else they’re doing when behind the wheel to focus on the road.

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