A vehicle image processing device is configured and arranged to capture an image of an area in front of a host vehicle in which the vehicle image processing device is installed and process only a small portion of the captured image to determine if an actual preceding vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle based on behavior information of the host vehicle. Based on the behavior information of the vehicle, the vehicle image processing device estimates a potential preceding vehicle position in front of the host vehicle. Then, based on the predicted potential preceding vehicle position, the vehicle image processing device sets an image processing region of the image captured. The vehicle image processing device then processes the image within only the image processing region top detect if an actual preceding vehicle is present in front of the host vehicle.