How Common Are Car Accidents Due To Eating While Driving?

September 17, 2024 | Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers | Car Accident

Drivers have been eating behind the wheel for decades, long before fast food drive-through services came along. Despite its classification as a “distraction” that increases the risk of a crash, many on-the-go drivers continue to consume snacks and meals while operating motor vehicles.

Nearly 50% of U.S. drivers admit to eating or drinking while driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). How many won’t admit to it? It’s hard to know, though some research suggests that up to 80% of drivers may eat while driving.

How Common Are Car Crashes Due To Eating?

The NHTSA reports that distracted driving caused 3,308 fatalities in 2022. It notes distractions like talking and texting on a cell phone, talking to passengers, reaching for objects, adjusting a radio or navigation system, and eating and drinking.

A motor vehicle crash occurs every 44 seconds on Florida roadways. One in seven crashes involves distracted driving. The role that eating has in these crashes is not revealed, which is not unusual. Gathering statistics that show a clear link between car accidents and most types of distractions is difficult due to a lack of evidence and drivers not admitting to the distraction.

The NHTSA emphasizes that any activity that takes a motorist’s focus off of driving — even for a second or two — is a distraction. The most dangerous distraction is texting, however, as sending or reading a text can take a driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds. It’s so dangerous that many states have enacted prohibitions on texting with handheld devices and driving.

The Risks of Eating Behind the Wheel

While handheld devices may get a lot of attention, eating and driving may be just as risky. Think about the eating process — it’s rarely a one-step (put food in the mouth) activity. It usually involves reaching for a bag or container and napkins. It also frequently comes with drips or spills followed by efforts to clean up the mess, which requires more reaching.

Another risk: When eating greasy or sticky food, the driver’s fingers transfer the substance to the steering wheel, which could make it tricky to handle in a split-second maneuver.

Eating behind the wheel can significantly elevate a driver’s chances of getting into a car accident. Based on a naturalistic driving study with over 3,500 participants, NHTSA research shows that eating while driving increases a driver’s crash risk by 1.8 times.

Reaching for an object increases it by 9.1 times. Handheld cell phone use, in comparison, increases the crash risk by 3.6 times, with texting upping it by 6.1 times.

Distractions such as eating, reaching for objects, and using a cell phone can distract drivers at three different levels, all of which can result in a delayed response in a potential collision situation.

Driver takes their eyes off the road
Driver takes a hand off the steering wheel
Driver takes their mental focus off the road or from operating the vehicle

Eating and its associated activities could affect drivers at all three distraction levels. Then, some drivers multiply the risk by using both hands to eat or simultaneously eating and talking to other passengers. They might even be on the phone or committing a traffic violation, such as speeding or following too close while eating.

Eating While Driving Is Not Banned, But It Can Result in a Ticket

Out of all the distractions, texting on handheld devices is expressly banned in Florida. But that doesn’t mean a driver can’t be ticketed for eating while driving. A motorist speeding through a construction zone with a slice of pizza in their mouth may quickly grab a traffic cop’s attention.

Contact a Tampa Car Accident Lawyer from Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Tampa today. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, and Lakeland.

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