You may have never considered it, but drinking and eating while driving exponentially increases the chances of a car accident. In addition, eating and drinking while driving has become one of the leading causes of car accidents.
In fact, studies show that distracted drivers cause 80% of car accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration comments that eating while driving becomes a serious problem for drivers since they are unable to react to driving conditions because their hands and attention are occupied with food.
Is Eating While Driving Distracted Driving?
It is, eating and drinking while behind the wheel of a vehicle is considered distracted driving. In fact it is one of the most common forms of distracted driving.
Surprisingly, the study has comprised a list of the most common and most dangerous foods and drinks for people to consume while driving. These include but are not limited to the following:
1. coffee
2. hamburgers
3. soup
4. tacos
5. chilidogs
6. ribs and wings
7. fried chicken
8. jelly doughnuts
9. soda
10. chocolate
Why is Eating and Driving so Dangerous
Eating food and consuming beverages while driving is dangerous for a number of reasons. As a matter of fact, eating and drinking fall under all three classifications of distracted driving: cognitive distraction, visual distraction, and physical distraction. This is how:
- Cognitive Distraction: This type of distraction occurs when a person is occupied with matters that take his/her attention away from the road. When eating or drinking, a person is cognitively distracted because he/she is thinking about consuming food rather than focusing on driving conditions.
- Visual Distraction: This type of distraction occurs when a driver participates in any action that removes his/her eyes from the road. Drivers eating or drinking are visually distracted since they are required to take their eyes off the road, at some point, in order to consume his/her food or drink.
- Physical Distraction: This type of distraction occurs when a driver participates in an activity that removes his/her hands from the steering wheel. This creates a risk since these drivers will be less likely to react to a driving condition in a timely manner. A driver who is eating or drinking is physically distracted since he/she has his/her hands occupied with food or beverages.
If You are Hit by a Distracted Driver
Distracted driving accidents may cause serious harm or injury to those involved. For this reason, it is important to seek legal action right away if you have been hit by a distracted driver. The Northern California attorneys at the Law Office of Larry S. Buckley may be able to help you recover financial compensation for medical expenses, emotional distresses, and more.
To speak with one of our distracted driving lawyers, contact our firm today. When it comes to your health and well-being, you cannot afford to wait.