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But When Else Am I Supposed to Eat and Drink?
Aug 26 2008 by Courtney Messenbaugh
8/26/08
Most Dangerous Foods Drive Us to Distraction
While I was driving the other day, some radio DJs were discussing the 10 most dangerous foods to eat while driving. At the same time, I was trying to scarf down breakfast, shift into a higher gear (yes, I have a manual transmission, probably time to change that!), and talk to my son. In this flurry of activity, I nearly rear-ended someone. Apparently, my distracted driving was kind of the point of this list. Imagine that...
The list was created in 2002 by Hagerty Classic Insurance after it found one of its insurance applicants had a DMV restraining order against having anything edible within his reach while driving. Despite the list’s age, it deserves to be revisited because I know I’m not the only mom whose only time to nourish herself seems to be in the car. Plus, the list is kind of funny.
The insurance company found that spilling your food or drink while driving is more distracting than eating while behind the wheel. When you spill, you don’t necessarily pull over (like you should) to address the mess. Thus, you’re distracted, and distraction does not a good driver make.
With that in mind and without further ado, the list is as follows, with a little commentary from yours truly:
10. Chocolate — Yummy, but it’s a mess, especially in hot weather when it’s prone to melt. Stick to keeping and eating your stash at home.
9. Soft drinks — Any liquid in a car is a hazard, but spill a soda and you become a big sticky mess.
8. Jelly- or cream-filled doughnuts — With your first bite, jelly or cream escapes from the doughnut and leaks all over.
7. Fried chicken — It’s a grease festival, which means greasy hands and steering wheels. Does anybody have a napkin?
6. Barbecued food — Imagine how hard it is to eat at a kitchen table. Now imagine trying to drive while licking sticky barbecue sauce off your fingers and everything else you’ve touched.
5. Hamburgers — Greasy and condiment-y isn’t a great combo for steady hands on the wheel.
4. Chili — I’m not even sure how someone can eat this and drive: One hand holds the cup of chili, the other holds your spoon and you steer with your knees? And don’t forget that it’s almost as messy as dangerous food No. 3.
3. Tacos — Everybody knows that tacos fall apart after one bite. Royal mess.
2. Hot soup — I’ve never tried this one, but apparently some people do. Anytime you have hot liquid in a car it’s most likely going to spill.
1. Coffee — It’s a HOT liquid. Pain is a surefire way to distract you while you’re driving.
Coincidentally, I ran across a recently released study from our pals over at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the impact and incidence of driver distraction. Eating is second only to talking with your passengers on NHTSA’s list of top driver distractions. Betcha thought it was going to be cell phones at the top, didn’t you? Those just make the top five, according to NHTSA.
I guess this means that I’m going to have to find a place and time other than in my car that I can eat and drink. Now, how in the heck am I going to find time to solve this dilemma? A woman’s work is never done!
