Eating A Meal More Common, Almost As Distracting As Driving While Yakking
from the ban-everything dept
Not that we’re suggesting everyone run out and drive dangerously, but for all the hype around the idea that “driving while yakking” on a mobile phone needs to be stopped, more people eat while driving – even though most consider it to be almost as dangerous. What this comes down to is that there are many different types of driver distractions. Simply picking one to pull out and ban raises questions about how come other activities aren’t banned. The focus should be on educating people on the dangers of distracted driving – rather than having everyone focus in on a narrow problem that doesn’t address the larger issue. Update: It appears I misread the chart at first. The article has been corrected to say that driving while eating is considered almost as, but still less distracting, than driving while yakking – and not the other way around. Thanks to everyone who pointed out this mistake.
Comments on “Eating A Meal More Common, Almost As Distracting As Driving While Yakking”
talkiing/eating while driving
Mike, according to the article you quoted, my reading of it is that most people think using the cell phone slightly more dangerous (4.0 versus 3.8). But it doesnt really matter what people in the survey think, there would need to be more empirical evidence to determine the relative dangers. Personally , munching a sandwich seems likely to be much less distracting than chatting since it takes less thought.Now reading a newspaper – thats gotta be risky, especially a broadsheet!
The chart indicates that people think it is less d
From the article:
Distracted Driving Activity Percentage of Drivers Average Driver
Admitting Driving While Danger Rating
Eating a Meal …………………………65%………………3.8
Talking on a Cell Phone…………………58%………………4.0
Steering with Legs and No Hands
on Wheel………………………………25%………………4.7
Applying Makeup or Shaving………………14%………………4.6
Reading a Newspaper or Book………………6%………………4.9
Writing a Text Message…………………..3%………………4.8
1 = Completely Safe
5 = Very Dangerous
Eating a Meal More Distracting...
I see 4 or 5 people each day talking on their cel phones while driving. I haven’t seen anyone eating while driving in many months.
Re: Eating a Meal More Distracting...
I see 4 or 5 people each day talking on their cel phones while driving. I haven’t seen anyone eating while driving in many months.
Sounds about right.
Note that the article states: “Sixty-five percent of drivers stated they eat while driving, and fifty-eight percent acknowledged they talk on a cell phone while driving.” It doesn’t say how often each driver eats or yaks while driving. It could be that the 65% who admitted to eating while driving have done so only rarely, while the 58% who talk on the phone may do it every day. So the headlinr “More Common Than Driving While Yakking” may be reading more into the article than it says.
No Subject Given
This isn’t meant to be stereotypical, but the dangerous behaviour I see almost DAILY are these ditzy women PUTTING ON MAKEUP while driving. Let me tell you, as a pedestrian, this is scary.
So far in the last year, I’ve been almost run over by a driver doing exactly this about a dozen times…once with the car actually hitting me lightly before the lady stopped…in that case, she was stopped at a red light..putting on makeup and not realizing that her car was slowly moving into the intersection until she hit me and I slammed my hands down on the hood.
Re: What a dilemma !
I steer with my left knee precisely so I can smoke with my left hand, talk on the cell phone with the wired little thingy that sticks to my head ( boy does that wire get in the way ) and drink with my right hand. There are far too many annoying distractions ( like oncoming traffic ) on the roads these days! It’s getting to where I damn near can’t balance my blubber-size meal on my stomach and eat properly !
Something needs to be done !
Re: No Subject Given
When I lived in Seattle one morning while riding the bus I watched a man shaving with an electric razor in his rear-view mirror. While I was marveling at his ingenuity and lack of common sense he slammed into the back of a stopped public bus. At least the electric razor saved him from slitting his own throat. Wouldn’t want to explain that one to the insurance company, though.
Re: Re: I'd like to see
I’d like the government try and ban “drive-through windows”…
Re: Re: Re: I'd like to see
Ban everything …
Because that way, no one ever has to think and apply the concept that maybe, just maybe its safer to drive than, drive & eat or drive & smoke, or drive & talk on the phone or drive & fiddle with the CD player, or drive & text a message to ” hot4Unot ” or a myriad of other profoundly stupid things …
It really is safer that way …
We wouldn’t want to injure anyone …
No Subject Given
While eating, you have some control over the distraction level. You can defer a bite or a sip until the road situation allows it. Same when conversing with a passenger… they can see the road and will accept (or initiate) a pause in the conversation.
What’s unique about phone conversations is the person at the other end, who CANNOT see the road. The cognitive load on the driver, who must follow this conversation in real time (also with no visual cues) is significantly higher than any activity that’s focused entirely within the car.
While the scale in the first post is interesting, it’s a self rating. Based on my observation of other drivers and correlating the quality of the guidance of the car vs. the activity, I’d have to say (1-5 scale):
Eating….. 1.5
Yakking…. 4
Re: Nobody does -n -t like Sara Lee ...
You obviously haven’t watched my Mother eat while driving …
My favorite driver
I was on the highway the other day (in Seattle) and glanced out the window to see a woman on a cellphone … and taking notes on her PDA! She was driving at highway speeds while steering with her elbows. Unbelievable. I’m not sure education is the solution for behavior like that; possibly a baseball bat to the cranium would be more effective.
eating while driving
the information is right! eating while driving does pose a greater risk than talking on the cell phone.
not only that but 26-29% of all wrecks occur while being distracted. only 7-8% of those wreck are cell phone related.This is such a minute amount why are we focused on just cell phones, there many other problems out there just as or worse.