Have you eaten while driving? Most people have done this more than they care to admit. But the truth is that this poses a distraction-and you know what can happen when you're distracted!
It might not be realistic to completely abstain from eating and driving entirely. The demands of work and family make it almost impossible. However, there are some guidelines on how to do it smart-and safer:
- Never pick a food that requires a utensil to eat. This includes ice cream sundaes, salads, chili and soup. It might sound like a no-brainer to most of us, but plenty of people use their leg to steer while both hands are occupied by eating such foods.
- Saucy and gooey foods are a no-no. What happens when you discover your jelly donut just dripped all down your front? You snag a napkin and start trying to dab at it, swerving around the road in the process. Yikes!
- Hot drinks and foods can hinder your driving, too. Take a sip, burn your mouth and just try to keep the car in one lane.
- Avoid chocolate at all costs. That's because anything you touch will leave nasty chocolate fingerprints-and who wants that? A driver's instinct is to clean the stains, which of course, never ends well.
The solution? Develop a solid menu of simple-to-eat and roadworthy foods that will never drip, burn or smear. Look for foods which only require one hand to eat. A handful of nuts or dried fruit are good options. Water is good because it won't burn or stain if spilled. So if you have to eat and drive, stick to the one-hand, mess-free rule to get you and your family there in one piece.