People are too comfortable in their cars and it leads to reckless behavior. The most common way to die is in a car accident due to reckless driving. The worst part is, people don’t even realize they’re being reckless.
When you’re on a long road trip and you pick up some food, your first instinct might be to get back on the road. Most people may not think twice about this but eating while driving can cause serious safety risks.
Eating while driving can distract you in three ways:
Visual
When you have a tasty temptation laying in your lap, odds are your eyes aren’t on the road. Eating while driving diverts the driver’s eyes to their food. This could affect your reflexes if an oncoming obstacle appeared. A crash, while eyeing the food, will not be quickly avoided.
Manual
In order to eat the burger you stopped for, you must take your hands off the wheel. This can cause you to swerve while you eat, creating a higher likelihood of a crash. While unwrapping food packages, your hands are occupied. If you encounter a crash while your hands are occupied, you may not be able to untangle your hands from your food fast enough to react.
Cognitive
Whether you know it or not, food is a big distraction on your mind. When you’re driving with food near you, the thought of eating overcomes your mind. When your attention is directed to your food instead of the road, your brain tends to tunnel your vision. Without the proper concentration due to food, drivers are 3.6 more likely to get into an accident.
Eating while driving effects your ability to drive significantly. When you’re on a road trip, allow yourself time to stop and eat. Taking the time can save you and other people on the road from a severe accident.
