Motorists are being warned about the risks they face when travelling through a drive-thru as they could be hit with hefty fines.
Drive-thrus can be a lifeline for drivers when they spend hours on the road, although Britons may be unaware that they could see themselves slapped with fines.
Experts are now warning motorists to make themselves aware of the rules that apply when driving past a side window to collect their food at a fast food restaurant.
According to GOV.UK, drivers can use a device in their hand if they need to call 999, they are safely parked, they need to make a contactless payment at a drive-thru or are using the device to park their vehicle remotely.
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Drivers can be hit with fines of up to £200 if they use their phone at the wheel
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People can use devices with hands-free access as long as they do not hold them when they are using them, including a Bluetooth headset, voice command and a built-in sat nav.
Motorists must stay in control of their vehicle at all times as the police can stop them if they think they are distracted.
If someone is found to be on their phone, sat nav, tablet or any device that can send or receive data when at the wheel, they can be hit with six penalty points and a £200 fine.
Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at Cinch, said: “Drive-thrus are cheap and cheerful, so you don’t want to be driving away to find out you’ve got a hefty fine waiting.
“Knowing what you can and can’t do behind the wheel when grabbing your next bite could save you thousands.
“Don’t think of your phone as a tool for ordering your food – you’ve got staff there to help you.
“Instead, your phone should be simply an extension of your bank card. Only use it once you’re at the pay window and it’s safe to do so.”
Motorists could also be hit with hefty repair bills for “bumper-busting” or driving too closely to the cars in front of them.
If someone is not paying attention, they could end up hitting the car in front of them or even crashing into a bollard, potentially costing up to £5,000 in repair costs.
Another hidden charge could be a parking fine, with many taking to social media to vent about their misfortune when being issued a penalty charge notice when eating their food.
Some drivers have reported being fined as much as £450 in parking fines because of long waiting times of faulty cameras catching them out.
One woman was fined for parking for 24 hours in a McDonald’s car park after the cameras did not catch her leaving the area before returning the next day to go through the drive-thru.
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Motorists could even be hit with expensive repair costs if they drive too closely to others
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Sheehan added: “Sometimes technology fails, leading to these extreme and unwarranted fines. It does, however, also show the importance of having a clean licence plate that’s easy to read.
“You want to allow the technology to be able to spot you so you’re not receiving unwanted fines for just passing through.”