Is your dinner a driving distraction?

While some people may enjoy their commute and use it as a peaceful quiet time, others are looking for ways to accomplish another task while they are on the road. Multi-tasking may work when you are knitting and watching TV, but it can be dangerous when you try to combine other tasks with driving.

With dozens of drive-thru restaurants and on-the-go food options from home, eating while you commute could seem like an easy way to accomplish two tasks that you need to do. Unfortunately, eating while you drive can be a significant distraction.

Here’s what you should know about the dangers of eating while you are driving.

You need both hands

Sandwiches and breakfast burritos seem like they might be an easy option since they do not require utensils or other actions like dipping. However, when you are driving, you do not have a hand to spare.

Under ideal circumstances, you may feel confident enough to take a hand off the wheel. Still, you cannot count on ideal circumstances when you are on the road. Unpredictable events can happen at any time. You need to be prepared to react without considering what to do with your sandwich.

Too hot to handle

Pain can make you react in unpredictable ways. When you are eating and driving, hot food can cause the additional distraction of falling or dripping and causing an injury.

While all food is a distraction, hot foods tend to be the most distracting because of the additional risk of burning yourself while you are driving.

Although it might be tempting to combine eating and driving when you are running late or have a busy day, your meal takes your eyes and attention off the road and leaves you with limited options if you need to respond to something on the road.