Driver distractions come in many forms. One of these is eating while you drive. Chances are good that if a driver didn’t eat at home, the driver might grab a bite to eat while he or she is out. Opting to eat the food while driving down the road is distracting and can lead to crashes.

When a driver who is eating causes an accident, the person who is injured in the accident might choose to seek compensation for the effects of the accident. The fact that the liable driver was eating at the time of the accident can come into the picture with the claim for compensation.

Just like texting or making phone calls are distracting, eating can have the effect. This is especially true if drivers take their eyes off the road to look at the food before taking a bite to make sure they are grabbing the item they want to eat.

If drivers are distracted for only five seconds while they are traveling at 55 miles per hour, their car will move the length of a football field during that five second period. Imagine how much damage that could do on the interstate or a busy road.

All distractions are horrible for drivers. When the distractions cause crashes, the innocent people who are injured can opt to pursue a legal claim. This can help them to recover some of the money they lost because of the accident through having to pay bills or being unable to work to earn a living.

Source: FindLaw, “Car Accident Liability for Eating While Driving,” George Khoury, Esq., accessed March 10, 2017