Don't eat or read, please

It is not likely that anyone has ever seen an automobile manual that comes with instructions for eating and/or reading while driving.  If so, let’s hope that the first and only rule would state: Pull over and park!

Somehow, the convenience of fast-food drive-ins has given customers the green light to eat behind the wheel. In an article published by the New York Daily News on July 19, 2009,  eating while driving causes 80 percent of all car accidents.

So what foods are the most dangerous to eat while driving?  The top contenders, according to the article, are soup, tacos, chili dogs, hamburgers, ribs, chicken wings and jelly doughnuts.  Most people could probably find at least one thing on this list that is appealing to their taste buds.  However, the care and strategic expertise that it takes to eat these foods should steer even the most skillful driver away from doing so while behind the wheel.

It is difficult to read the fine print while driving.  The only thing that anyone should be reading as they are driving is the colorful signs that indicate the rules of the road or the direction in which one intends to travel.

 Safety on the road is an ongoing battle that continues to be defeated by individuals who choose to indulge in self-fulfilling personal tasks while driving. No wonder a person is more likely to die in a car accident than by any other mode of travel.  

 Instead of driving offensively or defensively, it is pertinent that we all make a conscience effort to begin driving responsibly.