Many people are aware of the dangers of texting and driving or any other use of a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle. Few people give a second thought to the form of distracted driving that many safety experts consider even more dangerous to other drivers, passengers and pedestrians. In fact, billions of dollars are generated by businesses promoting this type of inattentive driving annually. The type of inattentive driving that many traffic safety experts believe poses an even greater danger to others on the roads is eating and drinking while driving. The practice is so commonplace that for many the activity is second nature.
The practice of eating and drinking while driving is promoted by the billion dollar fast food industry, which offers fast food drive thru windows, as well as convenience stores that offer hot coffee and tanker sized soft drinks to those on the go. Some places will even wrap the food to facilitate eating the food while you are driving. However, eating and drinking while driving can constitute one of the worst forms of driver distraction because it involves a distraction at all three levels of driver distraction – visual, mental and physical.
Unwrapping Food: Most fast food or packaged food that drivers eat in their car must be unwrapped or re-wrapped for eating, which requires that one’s eyes, hands and concentration all be directed to manipulating the packaging so that the food item can be eaten in the vehicle. This even applies to a lesser degree to soft drinks where drivers may have to remove a straw from the wrapper so that the straw can be inserted into the drink.
Liquid Spills: These are among the most dangerous hazard associated with consuming food and beverages while driving. Hot drinks like coffee or tea can spill in one’s lap causing a burn and distracting drivers from driving while struggling to alleviate the discomfort and prevent a serious burn. The other serious issue related to spills of drinks is that a driver’s first instinct may be to reach for something to mop up the mess. This means that the driver is again distracted mentally thinking about cleaning up the mess, physically reaching for something to clean up the mess, and visually while checking to ensure that the spill is properly mopped up.
Messy Foods: Many motorists are concerned about food creating messes in their car. When juicy burgers or tacos loaded with sauce leak on the upholstery or carpet of the interior of a vehicle, drivers may be focused on preventing permanent stains than avoiding serious injuries. A survey conducted of the most dangerous foods to consume when driving rated messy foods near the top of the list.
The fundamental point is that it is not safe to eat and drink while driving despite the fact this is a common practice for many Mississippi drivers. Studies have shown that eating and drinking while driving may be a factor in as many as eighty percent of all car accidents. If you or someone you love has been injured in a Mississippi car accident with a driver who was distracted while eating, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. At the Barrett Law Offices PLLC, our experienced Mississippi distracted driving lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi. Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.
