For most, a half-gallon of coffee is an absolute must to wake up during your morning commute to the job you loathe. Little did you know how dangerous it, along with nine other foods, really are.
Driving and eating are verbs describing two of American's favorite things to do and now, thanks to the cautious folks at Insurance.com, that's all ruined with a little list they put together on the 10 most dangerous foods to eat while driving. So how dangerous is it to eat these items in the car? Is it more or less dangerous than texting? Find out by clicking through.
#10) Chocolate
Another item on the list that we're going to pretend doesn't exist. Everyone knows chocolate is awesome. We love chocolate in a box. We love chocolate with a fox. We love chocolate from afar. We love chocolate in a car!
Image Credit: Flickr
#9) Soft drinks
Having a drink in the car is a must on a hot summer day, but we see the only danger in bringing one along is as Wes Siler put it; "frozen testicles." So boys, make sure you holster that drink the next time you head down to 7-11 for a 3 gallon Mr. Pibb.
Image Credit: Flickr
#8) Jelly or cream-filled donuts
A sweet and sticky Krispy Kream in the morning is one of our personal delights and while it doesn't surprise us that the heavenly fat rolls made the list, it does make us wonder if we've just doubled our dangerous driving risks since we eat at least 3 items on this list in the car on a regular basis. Whoops!
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#7) Fried chicken
We're ignoring this one because everyone knows a bucket of the Colonel's finest is the greatest thing you can possibly re-energize yourself with on the road. We'll pretend like we never saw it. Carry on.
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#6) Barbecued food
According to the snoozers at Insurance.com, BBQ foods are some of the most dangerous for you to eat while driving. We're wondering if they really mean BBQing while in the car because the prospect of a full slab of honey sweet ribs from a roadside Texan rib shack has got our gut screaming in agony.
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#5) Hamburgers
A tasty Double-Double from In & Out can please just about any hungry traveler, but all that grease and the sloppy condiments dripping out the bottom can make for a disgusting mess according to Insurance.com, but seriously, don't they know the wrap-up trick? They've obviously never eaten while driving well over under the posted legal speed limits in the middle of the night.
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#4) Chili
We can't even manage to keep chili off ourselves when we're not in a car eating it, so why in the hell would anyone even try and attempt to eat the delicious, tomato, meat, cheese, spices..... wait, nevermind. Carry on. Om nom nom! Image Credit: Flickr
#3) Tacos
Everyone knows a late night run to the local Taco Bell for a stoned fourth meal is one of the greatest ideas in the history of mankind, but more likely than not, your car's going to end up looking like a salad bar more than anything. Lesson: Stay away from fragile, crispy foods filled with delicious meat substitute.
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#2) Hot soup
The idea of eating soup whilst driving must be one of total desperation as the likelihood of draining the deliciously scalding hot contents of a full bowl is just too damn high for our soft bits to handle.
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#1) Coffee
Typically served in a flimsy Styrofoam cup containing the scalding hot liquid, coffee on the go can be a nasty beast to tame requiring an acute sense of concentration and awareness to accomplish. Thankfully, coffee gives you both... Wait, what were we talking about?
Image Credit: Dunkin Donuts Fans
According to Insurance.com the insurance companies don't track information regarding eating while driving, nor the accidents that are related to the act because it is too difficult to break down. Distractions are a a constant factor while driving and we don't necessarily need any more because your friend sent you a text or you feel like you can't pull over for 5 minutes to eat that Macho Burrito from Dell Taco.
In 2001 the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) surveyed 1,000 fleet drivers with Exxon, to which 70 percent of the respondents said they eat or drink while driving, up from just 58 percent in 1995. Not surprisingly, 83-percent said that they regularly drink coffee, juice or soda; but in a shocking sign of the times, a few of the respondents replied that they'd love a microwave in the car. Well how about a plug-in pizza oven too?
Because the NHTSA study doesn't rate food-based accidents, the following were rated as the most frequent causes of driver distraction and accidents:
* Cell phone use
* Reaching for a moving object inside the vehicle
* Looking at an object or event outside of the vehicle
* Reading
* Applying makeup
Image Credit: Hot People And Things That Suck