Life moves fast, and sometimes eating on the go is necessary. Depending on your attitude and personality, eating on the run is something you’re willing to do easily or is an option of last resort. No matter what, if you need to eat and drive, you must be cautious.
The law in Wisconsin does not prohibit eating specifically. However, the law is written fairly broadly. It should be noted that most of the distracted or “inattentive” driving statute refers to the use of technology. However, the main point of the law is that people driving should focus on driving, and there are many scenarios in which eating can get distracting.
Spills and driving
Hot coffee, particularly cheesy pizza and other sloppier foods all pose a unique risk to drivers: the surprise spill. A spill isn’t normally something that would cause a problem, but when the coffee is too hot, or the spill is completely unexpected, that momentary surprise is the problem.
Avoid two-handed meals
Eating and driving involves taking one hand off the wheel. But it really should stay at one hand and infrequently at that. This means you should leave big burgers, tacos, and anything covered in sauce in the box. Ideally, your on-the-go meal should be one-handed, simple and clean.
Utensils are a problem.
If you’re eating soup on the road, please reconsider. Trying to navigate a spoon and a car is just too much going on at once for anyone to do it properly. Even soup sippers are a risk.
The best bet is to eat while stopped.
Frankly, the best option for you is to avoid eating behind the wheel at all. It may not be illegal, but it is certainly a big risk.
