Eating and driving is much more dangerous than people give it credit for. For one thing, when you are eating while you are behind the wheel of a car, your focus is almost immediately taken off of the roadway. Not only this, but eating while driving usually requires two hands or at least one hand, which means that you have less control over your vehicle.
Imagine what would happen if, while you were about to take a bite out of that delicious Big Mac that you just bought, a car suddenly swerved into your lane. Would you see it? And if you did see it, where are your hands? Chances are (especially if you are eating a Big Mac) that you don’t have any hands whatsoever on the steering wheel. It is not only incredibly dangerous at that point, but it is irresponsible. Understandably, the whole point of having a fast food restaurant drive-thru window is so that you can receive your food quickly without having to wait for it while sitting on line at the fast food place. You can sit in your car and eat your meal as you drive so that you never have to slow down. However, while this is partially true, it is certainly not always the case.
Whether you are stopping at a fast food drive thru window of have ran into the bagel or sandwich shoppe to grab a bite to eat, you should always try to eat your food when you are parked- not driving. As a worst case scenario, if you live in a busy area like Long Island or New York City and happen to be driving or rather, sitting in traffic not moving, then it may be ok to steal a couple of bites to eat but only when you are fully stopped. Even when you are sitting in traffic, accidents can still happen, and it is your responsibility to be hyper-aware of your surroundings so that you are able to react quickly if the need arises.
As the saying suggests, prevention is better than cure. This means that, ideally, you should always try to eat your meals before you even leave your home or other establishment. If you are at work and have gone out to lunch, sit down and eat. Make time during the day to eat a healthy nutritious meal that you can enjoy while sitting down (preferably not in a car). Your body will thank you. After all, studies have proven that when people actually make the time to sit down to a meal, they tend to not feel quite as rushed. Therefore, the meal can be enjoyed more slowly, actually giving you time to chew and swallow your food versus practically swallowing whatever it is you are eating in one bite so that you can rush off to your next appointment.
Remember, driving is a privilege, and before you get behind the steering wheel, you need to make sure that you are prepared to drive responsibly- even if it does mean pulling over into a parking lot so that you can eat. Your passenger(s) and the other drivers on the roads will thank you.