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.
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.
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).
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.