First the good news: In Germany it is generally allowed to eat in the car. In other countries, however, you can quickly get a fine if you eat food in the car.
Eating in the car: These rules apply in Germany
In principle, there is no legal regulation on road safety that speaks against eating in the car. However, you should always be aware that eating food on the go is a distraction if it means you cannot pay enough attention to traffic.
If this results in an accident, your insurance company may hold you partially at fault and accuse you of negligence. In the worst case scenario, this means high expenses for you to repair the damage and possible follow-up costs as well as increased insurance premiums.
If you’re hungry, you should at least make sure that the food you choose doesn’t require a lot of effort. For example, if you first have to remove packaging, you should avoid eating or stop the vehicle first.
By the way: There are no regulations that prohibit drinking beer while driving. Nevertheless, it is important to adhere to the legal alcohol limit in any case.
Eating behind the wheel: Things can get expensive in this place
However, if you are traveling in Switzerland, you could quickly face a fine if you eat food while driving. According to the catalog of fines, the local authorities have a certain amount of discretion. If it appears that you are heavily distracted, you will have to pay.
According to Echo24, fines of between 300 and 1,500 francs are common. This corresponds to around 318 to 1594 euros.