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Let’s say you’re running late for a 9 am meeting, and you don’t have time to eat your breakfast at home. So, you grab your food to eat while in the car.

It’s quick and saves time. While you might be happy about killing two birds with one stone, have you ever stopped to think about the legality of eating while driving?

Sadly, the subject falls in a legal gray area. We will expound on that and also on the dangers of eating while driving and how to avoid the habit.

Is It Illegal to Eat and Drive?

Currently, there’s no law that explicitly stipulates you cannot eat or drink nonalcoholic beverages while driving. As such, eating while behind the wheel isn’t technically unlawful.

However, the act of snacking or drinking affects other road regulations. Remember, law enforcement enjoys wide discretionary powers, so you may still end up with a traffic ticket.

So, why can’t you eat while driving?

Problems With Eating and Driving

Distraction

Eating while driving often leads to driver distraction, which means you’re not in control of the vehicle.

According to Road Rules 2014 (NSW) r 297, it’s an offense to drive if you’re not in complete control of the car. And behaviors like snacking or using your phone while behind the wheel may distract you, leading to loss of control.

Negligence

Eating or drinking while driving constitutes distracted driving. Consequently, you become negligent on the road. Some of the negligent actions may include:

· Running a red light

· Speeding

· Switching lanes haphazardly

Some Food Need More Attention

You will typically need at least one hand to eat while driving. However, some foods require more attention and two hands. In this case, you might take your hands off the steering wheel or take your eyes off the road to clean your hands.

For this reason, you have less time to react to fast-changing road conditions, which increases your chances of running into an accident.

So, what kind of foods should you especially avoid while driving?

The Most Dangerous Foods to Eat While Driving

Some foods are easy to eat, while others may distract you while driving. This is because they require your total attention, which endangers your life and other motorists while on the road. Some of the foods to avoid include:

· Coffee: Coffee is a major cause of distracted driving. While its caffeine keeps you alert, it can spill just like any other drink. And because coffee is usually hot, the spill may burn you, and your first reaction will be to clean up the mess. This means taking your hands off the steering wheel and your eyes off the road.

· Soup: If the soup is hot, it may burn your tongue. It may also spill on your lap and draw your attention off the road.

· Tacos: You will need both your hands to eat tacos. So, you may have to take your hands off the steering wheel, which means you’re not in control of the car.

· Chili dogs: There’s a high risk of the hot chili spilling on your lap and creating a huge mess.

· Hamburgers: First, they are untidy to eat. Secondly, they may need you to use both your hands; otherwise, they may spill on your lap or car seat.

· Chicken wings: Apart from requiring two hands, the food makes your hands greasy, which can cause your fingers to slide on the steering wheel.

· Donuts: Donuts made with powdered sugar are gummy and require two hands to eat.

· Soda: Just like coffee, soda can spill on your lap or car seat and cause a sticky mess. Your first reaction would definitely be to clean it up, which takes away your attention from what’s happening on the road.

That being said, it’s important to avoid eating at all while behind the wheel.

How to Avoid Eating and Driving

From a health perspective, most of the foods eaten on the go are usually bought from fast-food chains or convenience stores along major highways.

Oftentimes, they are not wholesome meals, and the clutter of wrappers and plastic cans litter your vehicle when you turn it into an eatery.

Here are a few insights on how to avoid snacking while driving:

Ban Food in Your Car

Having food inside your vehicle often tempts you to grab a bite while driving. The trick is to remove the temptation altogether and not allow any food in your car. This move will also ensure your car’s interior stays clean and fresh for weeks.

Also, you can dissuade other passengers from eating inside your car so you’re not tempted to share.

Plan Ahead

Spare some time to eat food before going to work or school. This means waking up a bit earlier so that you’re not left doing things in a hurry. Eating while driving is never enjoyable, and therefore carving out 10-15 minutes to enjoy a meal is ideal before jumping behind the wheel.

Use Easy-to-open Containers

Sometimes you can’t avoid eating or drinking while driving. In that case, opt for grapes or other small bite-size snacks that don’t require the use of both hands. Most importantly, the food should be packed in easy-to-open containers that one hand can manipulate while driving.

Avoid Soda Drinks

While sodas are easy to grab on the go, they fizz, which can lead to throat irritability or choking. You’re better off drinking water or juice.

The Bottom Line

Eating while driving isn’t technically unlawful. However, it leads to distracted driving. Just as using a mobile phone while driving poses a danger, so does snacking while driving.

You end up multitasking and not paying full attention to what’s happening on the road. This means you have a slower reaction time to the constantly changing road conditions.

So, while you may not be contravening any laws directly, you may still land in trouble. Law enforcement may slap you with fines and demerit points for eating while driving.