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What you can and can't eat in the car

Eating in the car is not technically illegal under UK law. [Photo: Getty]
Eating in the car is not technically illegal under UK law. [Photo: Getty]

While there are no hard and fast rules about what you can eat in the car, it would seem Cheerios and milk is not it.

Police in Minnesota, US, have taken to Twitter to warned motorists of the danger of eating in the car after shocking footage was shared on social media.

The video, shared by Twitter user Alicia Lewis, shows a female driver driving along the road while spooning cereal and milk from a bowl into her mouth.

READ MORE: Drivers fined for hanging items in cars

For most of the short clip, her hands are not on the steering wheel.

The incident chimed with fans of the US television series ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’, as in one episode a character, Dennis Reynolds, is involved in a minor accident while doing the same thing.

Eating in the car

So what can you actually eat in the car – if anything?

Eating in the car is not illegal according to UK driving laws, explains the RAC.

However, according to Rule 148 of the Highway Code, drivers should “avoid distraction” while driving – which, in addition to listening to loud music and trying to read maps, also includes eating and drinking.

Although by no means backed by driving safety guidelines, Auto Europe has provided a list of easy foods to eat in the car.

These include chopped fruit and vegetables (such as apples, bell peppers and celery sticks), nuts like almonds, walnuts and peanuts, and dark chocolate broken into chunks.

Consult the UK government’s driving and transport website for further road safety guidelines.