Is it legal to eat a dripping burrito or cut steak while driving?

Is it legal to eat a dripping burrito or cut steak while driving?

What happens if you eat a messy burger in your car? What about biting into a burrito while the filling squirts into your lap? Well, hopefully nothing.

There’s no law that prevents you from enjoying a good meal in one hand while you have the steering wheel in another. Or even cutting your steak while in self-driving mode.

But if your driving suffers while you eat, that could be trouble. After all, what could be more distracting than guac in your groin while trying to navigate I-95? And distracted driving could lead to the very illegal careless or reckless driving.

Here’s what to know:

Driving distractions

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, there are three types of distraction: manual, visual and cognitive:

▪ Manual distraction involves taking your hands off the wheel.

▪ Visual involves taking your eyes off the road.

▪ Cognitive involves taking your mind off of driving.

Is eating while driving illegal in Florida?

The Florida Department of Transportation says that “activities such as eating, talking to passengers, reading, adjusting the radio or climate controls, dealing with children, and being fatigued or drowsy can be equally as distracting” as texting on a cellphone.

These activities aren’t illegal, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t land you in serious trouble.

Penalties for careless and reckless driving

▪ Careless driving: If trying to get the perfect bite of a burrito causes you to swerve, speed or otherwise drive dangerously, you can be cited for a moving violation under a careless driving statute. That could cost you up to $500 in fines.

▪ Reckless driving: If your distracted driving causes a crash, you could be charged with reckless driving. According to Florida law, reckless driving occurs when a driver operates a vehicle with “willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.”

▪ Penalties: If convicted, you could face up to 90 days in prison or a $500 fine for a first offense, and up to six months or a $1,000 fine for a subsequent offense.

SOURCE: Miami Herald