And you thought talking on your cell phone was distracting! Turns out that eating while driving can be riskier than being intoxicated. Researchers at the University of Leeds found that eating behind the wheel raised the level of impairment to equal the amount of driving skill impairment as though the driver had a blood alcohol level of .08.

A person with a blood alcohol level of .08 experiences a delayed reaction time of roughly 12.5 percent. A person gulping down a beverage while driving has 22 percent impairment. The report states that motorists who eat and drink while they drive are just as impaired as those who have had a few drinks. Of course, you can put that soda down and immediately be a sober and alert driver. But this study is a sobering reminder of the dangers of driving while distracted on the road. Be careful out there.