How to reduce distracted driving: Don’t eat or drink

Distracted driving can easily cause an automobile accident in Illinois. The best way to reduce the likelihood of an accident involves taking steps to cut down on distractions, such as not eating or drinking inside the vehicle.

Beverages and driving don’t mix

Having a little coffee or an energy drink in the morning serves as a common pick-me-up. Unfortunately, a lot could go wrong when enjoying a beverage while driving. Reaching for the drink involves taking a hand off the wheel. As long as the cup or container remains in someone’s hands, that hand stays off the wheel. Furthermore, reaching for a container and putting it back requires extending the hand away from the wheel, and the occupied hand can’t do any jobs related to the vehicle’s safe operation.

Breaks in concentration

Distractions might extend to sight and other senses that should be focused on the road but get interrupted when the driver is eating or drinking. Reaching for a food or beverage could prove problematic when attention drifts away from the road, pedestrians, fellow commuters and others around the vehicle. Distractions need not be extensive; even brief lapses in attention might lead to an accident.

There’s also the chance of an unexpected calamity. A driver drinking hot coffee might hit a pothole, and the coffee spills. If the resulting reflex action involves stepping on the gas pedal, it may lead to rear-ending another vehicle or worse.

Eating or drinking while driving could cause serious motor vehicle accidents. Remember, even a slight distraction might lead to regrettable consequences and civil liabilities. If you were injured in an accident caused by a distracted driver, a personal injury attorney may be able to explain your legal options for pursuing compensation.