Something many people do without thinking about the dangers is eating while they’re traveling. Whether it’s drinking a soda while you drive or eating a hamburger on the way to a meeting, you should know that doing so can be dangerous.
Eating behind the wheel is a distraction. It takes your hands off the wheel, your mind off what you’re doing and your eyes away from the road. If you spill a hot drink, drop food or are having a hard time opening something, then you’re even more distracted and could cause a collision.
Losing focus is one of the main causes of traffic accidents, so it is important that people do what they can to minimize distractions while driving. If you eat while driving and cause a crash, you could be charged or ticketed for being distracted behind the wheel.
How can you avoid distractions from eating behind the wheel?
One of the best options for you is to pull over. Even if you go through a drive-through to get your food, you can still take a few seconds to park and eat while in the restaurant’s parking lot.
If you’re on the road and need to eat, you may want to pull over to the side of the road with your hazards on. You could also choose to stop at a rest stop or to pull into a business’s parking lot for just a few minutes. Though it may slow you down on your route to where you want to go, you’ll be less distracted when you’re driving and will get a few minutes to concentrate on your food.
It’s possible to avoid distractions from food. If someone hits you while eating, then it’s your right to look into your legal options.