Eating While Driving: Is It Illegal?

Spread the love

By: Taranjit | Last Updated: October 12, 2020

I am sure this is something we all have done at some point in our lives (or many of us may still do this more regularly), but eating while driving is fairly common at least here in the U.S. We just don’t have the time and are always on the go that the only place we have time to eat is while driving. And with so many drive-thru options, the ability to do so is so much easier and convenient. Plus, who has time to sit and properly eat a meal? Not me.

Although we all do it, is it illegal?

The short answer is no, but (there is always a but, isn’t there?) you could get a secondary offense ticket as a result. That got your attention, didn’t it?

Yes. The simple act of eating while driving is not illegal per se and won’t get you a ticket, but your actions as a result of eating and driving can. A police officer can pull you over if you are driving carelessly (which may be because you are eating while driving), and can give you a ticket for the distracted driving.

But, in Washington state, it is possible for you to get a distracted driving citation and then on top of that an additional citation, if the officer sees that you were eating while driving. In fact, Washington has become way more stricter on their driving laws and eating while on the road could lead to a ticket starting at $99 (and can just keep on going up if you are found to be partaking in other destructive behaviors such as grooming while driving).

So be careful, if you plan to eat while driving in Washington. (Of course, that doesn’t mean you
should be less careful in other states, but fair warning).

It is considered distracted driving?

Distracted driving is very dangerous and the distraction of food can also lead to serious injuries and accidents. Did you know 44% of the drivers who eat while behind the wheel tend to drive way slower than usual (according to a study that was conducted by Leeds University)? Not only do they drive slow, but distracted drivers have been found to take on average 9 lives per day and severely injure about 1000 people, according to the CDC. Any lives taken is one too many. So think twice before you reach for that burger or fries the next time you are driivng.

There are 3 types of distractions that drivers face while on the road:

Looking away from the road

Taking a hand or both hands off the wheel

Letting their mind wander while driving

In all 3 types of distractions, your attention is not 100% on the road and that is extremely dangerous. Anything can happen in the split second you are distracted. Now imagine adding food into the mix. Eating while driving typically causes you to be involved in all 3 of these types of distractions.

Think about it. At some point, the food will cause you to take your eyes off the road, even if it is for a little bit. You might glance over to see where the fries are sitting to grab another one or the sauce from your burger might drip on your shirt so you look down to see where it landed. In both situations, it might force you to take a hand or both off the wheel for a little bit or glance away from the road just to inspect where the food landed. In the moment, it may not seem like a big deal, but when you think back on it, you can clearly see how dangerous this can be.

Final Thoughts:

Next time you are behind the wheel and get the urge to just eat the food, remember the consequences that come along with the dangers of not fully paying attention while you are driving. Is it worth the risk?