Eating is a vital part of life, and so is driving for many people. However, doing both things at once is not the wisest thing. There has been plenty of news of people in Utah getting into accidents due to distractions, and food can be one of them. A based in Utah personal injury lawyer has helped the victims who have already been in one.
You might not think munching on a little snack will hurt you, but you never know what might happen. That being said, think twice before missing a meal and taking it in your car instead. Once you know how common eating and driving crashes are, you will never skip a meal.
Eating and driving accident statistics.
Here are some important facts and statistics to know about eating and driving crashes as reported by the CDC:
- Distracted driving accidents kill about nine people every day.
- 1 in 5 people killed in these accidents are pedestrians and cyclists.
- Distracted driving causes 3,000 deaths in the US annually.
- Among the crashes involving 15-20 year olds, 9% of them were distracted.
- Distracted driving causes 400,000 injuries every year.
While most people talk about the dangers of using the smartphone while operating a vehicle, eating while driving is also a prevalent problem. It is not well-documented how many of these distracted driving accidents involved eating, but it is easy to see how food can distract a person.
How does eating lead to distractions?
One might think that they are safely driving while eating because even though their hands are busy, their eyes are still on the road. There are various arguments to prove this wrong.
There are three types of distractions: manual, visual, and cognitive. The manual is when you take your hands off the wheel; visual is when you take your eyes off the road; and cognitive distraction is when your mind and focus are elsewhere. Eating while driving causes all three types of distractions.
When you are eating, you are not completely focused on the road. You are worried about not spilling the food in the car. Therefore, you are multitasking. Moreover, eating requires at least one of your hands to be off the wheel, which is very dangerous. In various situations, you need to make use of both your hands on the wheel.
You might also take your eyes off the road while trying to get the ketchup out or dipping your fries in the mayonnaise. There are multiple ways eating can cause an accident.
If you have been involved in a car accident caused by eating while driving, it is essential to understand your legal rights. Contact a Utah personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.
