Eating and drinking while driving is apparently more dangerous than texting. Check out these 10 killer in-car snacks that you should maybe avoid next time you're on the road...
The worst form of distraction for a driver isn’t yapping on their phone or replying to a text message apparently, but munching on a Big Mac or taking a swig of coffee.
Recent research carried out by the USA’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that those who eat and drive increase the odds of an accident by 80% and are involved in the majority of near-miss accidents.
In fact, the health-and-safety conscious NHTSA even went so far as to list the 10 most dangerous foods and drinks for a driver. Here they are – the foods that might be more than just a killer for your waistline.
Chocolate
What could possibly be wrong with chomping on a chocolate bar while driving? Apart from wrestling with the wrapper, it has to be one of the most convenient snacks to eat on the move? The problem comes when it has started to melt, your fingers are covered in a choccy goo and you stick your tongue into the packet to lick off the remnants.
Soft drinks
We all know not to drink and drive, but surely swigging from a can of Red Bull or taking a sip from a bottle of water is kosher? Invariably, when you take a drink from a bottle your head rises up taking your eyes off the road. Stick to cartons with really long straws if you’re a thirsty driver.
Doughnuts
A box of Krispy Kremes sure beats a bag of boiled sweets on a long journey, but every time you bite into a dougnut it shoots out an assortment of fillings ranging from chocolate to custard. Stick to the traditional doughnuts with a hole in the middle if you’re driving.
Fried chicken
We all love a visit to KFC, don’t we? Chicken of varying degrees of quality, piping hot gravy, lukewarm fries and greasy hands are a dangerous combination while cruising along at 90kmh. Surely life isn’t that fast-paced that you don’t have time to stop and eat?
Barbecued food
The idea of a South African braai usually involves sitting around having a few beers and munching on the best braaied meat out there. But while the idea of tucking into a BBQ doggy bag while driving sounds straightforward enough, licking sticky fingers and balancing a drumstick in one hand and a Cumberland in the other is a recipe for disaster. Excuse the pun.
Hamburgers
It’s all too easy to pop into the local fast food drive-through and, rather than stop for five minutes and eat your lunch, munch your burger and fries as you drive. Cue lots of one-handed manoeuvring and steering with your knees as you chase fallen gherkins and dip fries into barbeque sauce while taking a swig of super-size Diet Coke. Chaos…
Chili
Mamma might make the best chilli, but if you partake in a particularly spicy batch while driving the last thing you want is to be coughing and spluttering down the road with your eyes streaming from the pain of a dozen chipotle chilies.
Tacos
This is more of an American problem – with fast-food joint Taco Bell based in the U.S. But anyone who’s ever tried to eat any tortilla-based wrapped food will attest how difficult it is to avoid spilling the contents over your lap. That moment when you look down to find the piece of chicken that’s dropped on the seat will be the time a kid chases a ball onto the road.
Hot soups
Soup and cars really don’t mix. Not that I’ve ever heard of anyone tucking into a bowl of broth as they hog the outside lane of the motorway, but hot liquid, steaming vegetables and a spoon really aren’t conducive to safe driving. Soup lovers – for goodness sake find a layby.
Coffee
Most cars these days have cup holders, but hit a bump and that coffee will be swaying around like a rowing boat in the Pacific spilling molten water onto your lap. Cue pandemonium as you take your hands off the road to wipe latte from your unmentionables.
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