4 Ways Eating Food can Increase Your Chances of a Car Accident
Eating food while driving is common in a world used to multitasking.
While eating food on the way to work or class may seem like a time saver, devouring donuts and tasting tacos poses an often unknown danger.
Eating food behind the wheel is a major distraction that could lead to car accidents. In fact, newly licensed drivers’ risks of getting into a crash while eating is three times higher, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Eating food is a form of distracted driving. According to the NHTSA, distracted driving occurs when a driver does anything that takes their attention away from safely driving.
If you’re eating food while driving, there are a number of ways you can actually increase your chances of a car crash.
Taking your eyes off the road – eating food while driving often makes drivers take their eyes away from what’s ahead of them. Drivers will look at their bagel, or watch the heat level of their pizza puff, rather than look forward to potential hazards.
Taking your hands off the wheel – if you’re eating food, odds are you are using your hands to grasp your cuisine and lift it to your mouth. While food like chips can generally be grabbed with one hand, eating something like a large sub sandwich will require both hands, which means your hands are off the wheel and not controlling the direction of your vehicle.
The type of food you eat – as hinted in the previous section, certain food items may not be safe to eat, but they are easier. However, messy food requiring silverware like spaghetti and ramen can prove extremely difficult to consume while operating an automobile.
Making messes can distract you – imagine dropping your BBQ ribs at a stop light, or mustard leaking from a hot dog onto your white shirt. You’ll be inclined to clean the mess, and in return, take your eyes off the road.
There are a number of ways to avoid eating food while driving.
Be sure to eat before you leave. It may involve waking up early to eat breakfast or getting ready earlier so you can enjoy dinner before a movie.
If you want to grab a bite to eat, don’t chow while driving. Be sure to leave early enough to eat at the restaurant.
If you need to eat in the car, pull over. While you could still make a mess, you won’t have to multitask with moving the car and eating food.
It’s best to avoid eating food in the car if possible. The negative ramifications of eating food while driving outweigh the benefits.
Just because you stay safe and don’t eat while driving doesn’t mean others won’t distract themselves with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Another driver distracted by eating food who crashes their vehicle into yours and injures you can be found liable for negligence. Drivers have a duty of care to protect others on the road, and failure to do so can be the basis for a personal injury claim.
If you get injured in a car accident, contact a Los Angeles attorney at C&B Law Group.
The LA car accident attorneys at C&B Law Group have assisted car crash victims with personal injuries recover millions of dollars in compensation.
Frequent injuries following a car accident include:
- Neck Pain or injuries such as whiplash
- Back Pain
- Traumatic Brain Injury like a concussion
- Broken bones
- Cuts that permanently scar or disfigure the skin
- Internal bleeding
- Vital organ damage
- Spinal Cord Injury
- Vision issues from eye injuries
- Wrongful death
Our team of Southern California personal injury attorneys will roll up their sleeves and work to help you recover compensation from medical bills and expenses, lost wages, or pain and suffering.
Let us help you cook up success. From the valley to the south bay, contact C&B Law Group today for a free consultation.
