Lengthy commutes have become somewhat common in recent decades. Many people drive 45 minutes or more every day to reach work and return home. Spending that much time on the road can become a source of frustration. People may try to reclaim that lost time by multitasking.
For example, they might pack their breakfast to eat on the way to work each day as a way of optimizing their schedule. Eating and drinking while driving are common habits. Drive-thrus offer a variety of foods designed for people to eat with one hand. Vehicles generally include cup holders that allow people to enjoy coffee or other drinks while driving. Despite the infrastructure that exists to support people’s dining-while-driving habits, eating at the wheel is actually a dangerous form of distraction that increases the risk of a wreck.
How can eating and drinking increase collision risk?
Forcing drivers to take their hands off the wheel
Manual distraction is relatively dangerous. Drivers should maintain a two-handed grip on the steering wheel as much as possible. Those sipping a drink or eating a burrito may drive long distances with only one hand on the wheel. The need to set something down and reposition the dominant hand on the steering wheel can drastically increase an individual’s reaction time and therefore their chances of a crash.
Splitting a driver’s cognitive focus
Although many people eat and drink as though they are on autopilot, they still split their attention. Driving is a safety-critical task that requires complete focus. People thinking about whether there are still fries at the bottom of the bag or trying to apply hot sauce to a taco can’t properly focus on and analyze traffic conditions. The mental distraction associated with eating and drinking at the wheel can decrease situational awareness and increase reaction times, both of which increase the risk of a wreck.
Triggering unusual behavior
Even in the best of circumstances, eating and drinking while driving are distracting activities. If something goes wrong, the situation becomes infinitely more dangerous. People who spill hot coffee in their laps may jump back, pull their hands off the steering wheel or jerk the steering wheel to one side. The way that people respond to pain when they burn themselves can be quite dangerous.
Even if an incident doesn’t cause pain, the driver could easily make a major mistake. Someone who spills mustard on their clothing, for example, may look down at themselves and attempt to clean the stain immediately. Those actions prevent them from remaining focused on traffic conditions and safety.
Food stains, empty containers and statements by other drivers can provide insight into what may have caused a motor vehicle collision. Drivers distracted by food or drinks are typically at fault if they cause crashes because they try to split their focus while operating a motor vehicle.
