Driving lane or eating lane?

While I was teaching class at one of our local Young Drivers of Canada locations recently, it was brought up that eating and drinking while driving can be equally as distracting as talking on the phone. It was an interesting thought, so I continued the discussion. When is a good time to take a quick drink of your coffee, pop or water while driving?

Once I explained to the group of new drivers that a conversation takes more thought and concentration than drinking a coffee or eating a sandwich, they understood. But what if you spilled some coffee or dropped a piece of lunch meat in your lap while driving? Would that force you to take your eyes off the road long enough to cause a potential crash?

Year after year drivers have snacked while they make their way to work, home, and run their errands. They just can’t seem to realize that driving is their most important task when they are behind the wheel. Now, don’t get me wrong, having a snack while driving isn’t always a bad move, but it depends on what you’re eating and when you eat it. The same thing can be said about drinking that coffee, water or pop.

Eating something small that can be completely placed in your mouth so you don’t have to think about it any longer is fine. You should grab that snack when you’re stopped though. This way you can afford to take your eyes off the road long enough to see the snack without endangering yourself or any other road user.

The same can be said for drinking a beverage. Once your get to the bottom of the bottle or cup, your head is tilted back so much that you’ve lost view of what was in front of your vehicle. Take a drink of water while you’re stopped. This is the safest place to take a sip or grab that cookie or donut since all you’ll need to do is to monitor your rear view mirror while stopped.

It’s all about timing. Keep your mind on your driving and wait until its safe before snacking. Remember, there may be times when you just can’t take a drink or eat a snack. For those times, you’ll just have to wait until you reach your destination.