It's not uncommon to get hungry on your way to your destination. So, you decide to grab a bite to eat and swing by your favorite fast-food restaurant drive-thru. Maybe you get a hot coffee or a burger with everything on it.
But is it a good idea to eat while you drive?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that eating while driving is one of the most distracting things that you can do.
And when you are distracted while driving, you are slower to react. So, if the car in front of you stops suddenly, you might not react in time and end up rear-ending it.
In addition to wrecking your car or hurting yourself or someone else, you also run the risk of tickets, fines, and higher insurance rates when you eat while driving.
Eating any food while driving can be distracting, but some foods are worse than others.
Here are some foods that NTSA specifically mentions as more likely to lead to distraction if you consume them while driving.
- Coffee, soup, and other hot beverages are a bad idea even when you drink them from a cup with a travel lid on top. This is because the hot liquid can come out of the top of the container when you hit a bump and burn you. Ouch!
- Tacos, chili dogs, and other messy foods that can come apart or drip as you eat them are a terrible choice.
- Ribs and fried chicken are a messy choice. It isn't easy to drive when you're licking your fingers.
So, don't take the risk of slowing your reaction time and causing an accident. It's not worth it. Instead, pull over to eat or wait to eat your food until you reach your destination. The tacos and hot cocoa can wait.
Drive carefully and stay safe out there.
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