As a breakdown insurance company, it's no wonder that at startrescue.co.uk we're keen to hear of any news that provides more insight into road safety. A recent study from the University of Leeds definitely falls into this category, with the headline-grabbing assertion that eating while driving your car is actually more dangerous than texting or calling.

According to the study, snacking motorists' reaction times were up to 44 per cent slower than normal. Those enjoying a drink (non-alcoholic) suffered from 22 per cent slower reaction times, with an 18 per cent reduction in lane control.

A study carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory found that those who texted whilst behind the wheel were 37.4 per cent slower than normal (6.6 percentage points faster than drivers who ate at the wheel), and those who drank alcohol at the legal limit suffered a slowing of reaction times to the tune of 12.5 per cent. Another surprising discovery in this particular survey was that reaction times of those using hands-free phones was reduced by 26.5 per cent.

Carrying out activities such as eating and smoking whilst behind the wheel may not be illegal, but if police believe a driver is not in full control of their vehicle they could be charged.