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Is drinking coffee while driving illegal?
I drink coffee every morning on my commute to work, but a friend told me it’s not allowed. Is it illegal to drink coffee while you’re driving?
Olivia Rose · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
For the most part, you don’t need to worry about it. Drinking coffee while driving is not illegal—as long as you are paying attention to the road.
However, distracted driving is illegal, and some states frown upon having your hand(s) occupied when behind the wheel. So, it’s possible you could be reprimanded for drinking coffee.
For instance, in Washington, coffee drinking could be reported as a secondary violation if an officer believes it constituted a distraction that led you to commit a primary traffic violation.
If you want to carry on with your coffee addiction—*don’t we all?*—here are some tips for staying safe:
- Use a coffee tumbler. This will help prevent spills, which could be cause for some seriously distracted driving.
- Keep your coffee in your cup holder when you aren’t actively drinking.
- Have your coffee completely prepared before you drive. That means getting your cream and sugar ratio to utter perfection before you put your key in the ignition.
- Never grab your coffee with two hands while driving. In other words, you should always have at least one hand on the wheel (though two is better).
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- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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