Is It Illegal To Eat While You’re Driving In ND?

You're on your way out the door in the morning, you're in a rush, and you haven't eaten. What do you do? In a pinch, you might opt to go through a drive-thru.

Now that you have your food, you want to errmm...eat it...right?

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The Question:

Can you pop open the bag while driving and stuff your face? -- That's the question I was asking myself this morning as I watched the minutes tick by while my food was sitting in my passenger seat getting cold.

Can you eat food in your car?

I'm sure you're fully capable of the multitask, but is it legal?

According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, there are three types of distracted driving.

1. Visual

If you are doing something that makes it to where you're taking your eyes off of the road, that is a visual distraction.

2. Cognitive

Taking your mind off of what you are doing is a distraction. Honestly, this happens to me every time I drive.

Me: "Awe, what a cute dog!"

Me 2 seconds later: "Oops, was that light even green?"

3. Manual 

This is the act of taking your hands off the wheel.

Is Eating Illegal?

Yes. You are taking your hands off of the wheel and, on occasion, taking your eyes off of the road too.

Unless someone is feeding you the food like an ancient queen, while you have your head locked straight, eating in your car is definitely a no-no.

The source specifically names eating in your car as a form of distracted driving, so you might want to resist the temptation.