Is Eating While Driving Dangerous?

It is early Monday morning and you woke up late for work once again. Since you don’t have time to eat your breakfast at home, you decide to eat it in the car. For many drivers, eating while driving is an easy way to get to their destination on time and control their hunger. Unfortunately, eating while driving is very dangerous and can result in a serious accident. Here are a few reasons why not to eat and drive.

Distracted Driving

As you shove your favorite Egg McMuffin in your mouth on your drive to work, you may notice that you are more concentrated on your meal than on the road. Eating while driving distracts you physically, mentally, and visually. You will most likely only have one hand on the wheel while the other holds your food. As you eat your reaction time is 44% lower than it is when you’re not eating. This means that you may be so concentrated on your food that you will not brake in time and get into a rear-end collision accident. 

Another distraction from eating is when you make a mess. If you spill or drop your food, you may ruin your clothes or burn yourself depending on the temperature of the food. Your immediate response will be to clean up the mess before it spreads, which will make you completely distracted. Your hands may also become greasy which will limit your grip on your steering wheel. 

Increased Potential of Choking

Your parents may have told you to take your time while chewing your food. While you are driving you will most likely inhale your food because you are driving at the same time. Not only is this bad for your digestive system, but increases your chances of choking. If you were to get in an accident while chewing, you may accidentally swallow your food which could lead to choking. Also, any short stops or jerking movements could cause you to swallow your food the wrong way. 

How To Avoid Eating While Driving?

Though you may feel driving is the only time you have to eat, you must make time to eat while not behind the wheel. If you are on a road trip make sure to either pull over or eat inside a restaurant. This will allow you to digest your food properly and reduce your chances of an accident. Also, if you are running late, take your food with you and eat it when you arrive at your destination. If you know you must be somewhere at a specific time, eat before you leave rather than taking it to go. It is better to be a safe driver who is late, than a distracted driver who gets in an accident.  

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