Best Foods to Eat While Driving

What is the meaning of this article? We're not supposed to be eating while driving. Distracted driving is a huge factor in car accidents on the road. On the other side of the argument you could say that eating is a relatively straight forward thing where you don't really need to look at the food for it to find its way into your mouth. In the hierarchy of driving mistakes, it sits at a lower end of the spectrum. That being said I understand people don't always have time to sit down and have a meal before they have to drive to work or back. Is there a safer food to eat while driving? I would say some foods are safer than others but this question and many others will be discussed here and now. This article pertains to simple handheld food that is safe to consume in transit and won't distract you as much. So put your dipping sauce down and don't reach for that onion that fell on your lap while we discuss eating and driving. We will also cover laws pertaining to distracted driving and the laws in that regard.

Best and worst food to eat while driving

The reasons are many and the need great. You can't think without fuel in your system and some people spend a lot of time in their cars, between work commute, picking up kids, getting groceries, and in general moving from one place to another like an ant going about their day encased in a metal and glass shield so it's only natural that at some point people will eat in the car. The primary concern here is distracted driving. Messing with condiments, wrappers, tossing trash somewhere that's not the floor is all tricky and usually the time and place where accidents occur. Is eating as dangerous as texting or messing with the stereo, probably not but it can be a factor.

The best foods to eat while driving require no additions and can be eaten with looking at the food or making a mess in the process. In that regard granola and energy bars seemed to be at the top of the heap at 17% with french-fries coming in close behind at 14%. This was across multiple ages and genders. Overall people seemed to enjoy the quick easy and least messy meals to eat on the road which could easily mitigate some of the distraction of eating while driving. Other foods in the list included potato chips at 11%, candy bars at 9%, and hamburgers at 6%.

The reasons people eat while they drive include long commutes, or feeling as though they are saving time, they eat in the car for convenience, and that they're always rushing. A small portion say they don't cook and 17% said they never eat behind the wheel. To them I say, “good on you.”

Eating while driving and distracted driver laws

There is good reason to try and avoid any kind of distracted driving. Distracted driving accounted for 7.8% of traffic fatalities in 2018 which amounts to 2,841 deaths that year so it is a serious issue. Most states have laws regarding texting or talking on the cellphone while driving but few have laws against eating while driving. Washington state with a law against eating or applying makeup while driving. The first offense fine for distracted driving in Washington is $136 for the first offense and $234 for the second offense. Insurance rates rise with these tickets as well. On average they raise up to 22% for distracted driving. This can add up fast and can lead to higher premiums if multiple tickets are issued.

We get it, sometimes you just don't have time to sit down and eat but distracted driving is an important issue that does lead to deaths in the United States. It's important to maintain control of the vehicle at all times, and even then, accidents will happen. Driving is a relatively easy activity, and becomes automatic when you get behind the wheel. This muscle memory can lead us to feel more confident behind the wheel and can easily lead to mistakes if we aren't vigilant. So please do your best to wait until the car is stopped to eat your burger and focus your attention on the road.