Yes, it is illegal to eat or drink (anything) while driving in Tacoma
TACOMA -- As it turns out, there's a law in Tacoma that says it is "unlawful" to operate any vehicle on public highways while eating any food or drinking any beverage.
The Tacoma News Tribune found the law in a traffic Q&A article on Sunday.
11.05.130 Driving while eating or drinking.
It is unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle upon the public highways of the City of Tacoma while eating any food or
drinking any beverage.
Tacoma police spokesperson Loretta Cool told the Tribune that officers aren't just handing out tickets for this, but you could be pulled over if you're violating another traffic law too.
“It is called distracted driving,” she told the paper. “If you drive erratic because you drop a fry and try to pick it up or spill ketchup, etc., you can be ticketed for distracted driving. Eating food can be the reason, as well as drinking coffee, looking at GPS, using and phone and so on."
Other jurisdictions that don't explicitly have an "eating while driving" law on the books could likely cite you for "negligent" or "inattentive" driving. But again, most agencies say they're not going to stop you for that unless you're weaving around the road.
That got us wondering if there were any similar state laws we may not have heard of before.
How about Washington RCW 46.61.665? It says you can't "embrace" another person while driving.
Embracing another while driving.
It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle upon the highways of this state when such person has in his or her embrace another person which prevents the free and unhampered operation of such vehicle. Operation of a motor vehicle in violation of this section is prima facie evidence of reckless driving.
Or RCW 46.37.480? It shouldn't be a surprise that you can't watch TV while driving (with the exception of a backup camera). But you're also not allowed to wear earphones or a headset that "muffle or exclude other sounds" (with the exception of approved hands-free wireless communication systems).
Television viewers—Earphones.
(1) No person shall drive any motor vehicle equipped with any television viewer, screen, or other means of visually receiving a television broadcast when the moving images are visible to the driver while operating the motor vehicle on a public road, except for live video of the motor vehicle backing up. This subsection does not apply to law enforcement vehicles communicating with mobile computer networks.
(2) No person shall operate any motor vehicle on a public highway while wearing any headset or earphones connected to any electronic device capable of receiving a radio broadcast or playing a sound recording for the purpose of transmitting a sound to the human auditory senses and which headset or earphones muffle or exclude other sounds. This subsection does not apply to students and instructors participating in a Washington state motorcycle safety program.
(3) This section does not apply to authorized emergency vehicles, motorcyclists wearing a helmet with built-in headsets or earphones as approved by the Washington state patrol, or motorists using hands-free, wireless communications systems, as approved by the equipment section of the Washington state patrol.
You probably already know, but you can't send, read or write a text message while driving, per RCW 46.61.668.
And you can't put a phone up to your ear while driving -- even if you're stopped in traffic, according to RCW 46.61.667. There are a few exceptions though, including calling for help in an emergency.
RCW 46.61.685 states that leaving a child or children under age 16 alone in a standing vehicle with the motor running is a misdemeanor.
Leaving children unattended in standing vehicle with motor running—Penalty.
(1) It is unlawful for any person, while operating or in charge of a vehicle, to park or willfully allow such vehicle to stand upon a public highway or in a public place with its motor running, leaving a minor child or children under the age of sixteen years unattended in the vehicle.
(2) Any person violating this section is guilty of a misdemeanor. Upon a second or subsequent conviction for a violation of this section, the department shall revoke the operator's license of such person.