The legal frameworks currently does not restrict eating or drinking in a vehicle as long as the driver is in control of the vehicle. The fines for civically negligent or reckless driving can range from borderline to a couple of hundred dollars fines in some stales as long as the actions endanger the control of the vehicle. The use of mobile phones while driving and speeding fines tend to be a lot greater as they range from $400 to $900+.
More Emphasis on Driver Distraction
Beginning on 2025, Australian road safety authorities will pay greater attention to the issue of distracted driving, and will provide penalties for any actions that diminish the control a driver has on a car. While drinking a cup of coffee is not, in and of itself, illegal, police officers have the discretion to issue fines in the event they “reasonably” believe that the actions of a driver “lose control” of the vehicle. This is designed to target the everyday activities that take attention away from the road and contribute to collisions.
Common Driver Distraction Fines in Australia 2025
| Violation | Fine Amount (AUD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Driving without proper control | $400 – $600+ | Includes distraction from eating/drinking |
| Using mobile phone without hands-free | Up to $960 | Strictly monitored by AI cameras |
| Speeding over threshold | $960 | Over 30 km/h in urban or 40 km/h on highway |
| Not slowing near emergency vehicles | $1,000 – $1,600+ | Varies by state, includes demerits |
Contrary to common belief, there is no national legislation that prohibits a driver from partaking of any type of food and beverages, including coffee. However, the law in the various states requires that a person driving a motor vehicle must have it under full control at all times. If it is established that the actions of a person driving a motor vehicle that is in the act of eating or drinking, has an adverse affect on that control or results in careless driving, that person is liable. Fines and demerit points are a warning to all drivers that there must be no attempt to “multitask” whilst behind the driving wheel.
Failing to Exercise Proper Control
Road rules in states such as New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland impose fines of $400 and, if any “proper control” is maintained, in excess $600 and demerit points for drivers being in control of a vehicle “not.”Additional penalties may be inflicted higher than the standard fine amount societal peril warrants. Reckless sipping of coffee while driving could also legally be problematic if it distracts the driver enough to appreciably impair the operation of the motor vehicle.
Broader Traffic Fines in 2025
In 2025, the Australian government, along with other nations, modified sections of the legislations of traffic to scale the much more lenient penalties attached to the consumption of reckless acts. Along with the other more punitive measures, there is now a five-hundred-dollar fine attached to the reckless use of handheld communication devices, the passing of vehicles with blaring sirens at a rate stratospherically above the regular speed limit, and the fine neglect of the speeds set near emergency service vehicles. The rule is intended to reinforce the principle there is zero tolerance for reckless driving.
Advice for Drivers
Experts on the other hand have proffered that people intending to consume coffee on the go to pull the vehicle over, which is a far more prudent and wise decision. In other words, the policy is designed to minimize excuses for poor driving that may result in traffic accidents. The same holds for the avoidance of penalties that arise from an utter failure to exercise an appropriate standard of care, especially, now more than ever, with the sophisticated surveillance and camera intelligence devices in operation.
