Put the fork down...you're driving!

Sitting in traffic around town while waiting for the light to change, I have observed some crazy things that drivers do sitting in the driver’s seat. Here are my top five don’ts while driving in the car.

1.    Eating in the car - I can’t say that I’m totally innocent in this area.  Many of us have been known to have a little nosh while on the go from time to time, but a granola bar or a few almonds is not really what I’m talking about here. I have seen people driving while dining on fork and knife, napkin in your lap type cuisine. Submarine Sandwiches, bowls of cereal, and once I even saw a giant New York Style Slice of pizza! If it takes both hands to eat……NO!

2.    Big Cigars- I have been known in the past to have enjoyed a good stogie once in a while (much to my wife’s chagrin!)  But if you are going to smoke a cigar while driving, at least open the windows so the smoke actually leaves your field of vision. I find seeing is important in driving, but that’s just me.

3.    Animals – OK, so I get it, your dog likes to go for a ride in the car.  That’s cool, but seeing animals sitting on the driver’s lap with their head out the window cannot be safe.  Ever.

4.    Talking on the phone- If you are an animated talker, using your hands, making gestures (even though the person you are talking to can’t see you), holding the phone in front of your face, maybe pull over?

5.    Disciplining in the car- I have a 4 year old (sorry, 4 and 3/4) and he has a “lovely” habit of kicking the driver’s seat from his car seat.  And as much as I love him, that drives me CRAZY (just ask my wife) and all I want to do is turn around and give him the DAD’S EYE OF DOOM! (patent pending) but that would take my eyes of the road and be unsafe right? I have no suggestions here other than ignore, ignore, ignore until you can pull over and put them in the trunk (just kidding).

I could go on (really, I totally could), but you get the point. Driving a car is a big responsibility and hard enough to do without adding distractions to it, so please be careful out there.

If you get a ticket for these or any other traffic offenses, get a good lawyer on your side!