We’ve all seen them on the road, many times passing us!  The lady putting on mascara, eating breakfast, talking on the cell phone—all while DRIVING!  For most of us, it’s not even a real shock to see anymore.  Odds are you’ve been that driver once or twice (admit it, we know it’s wrong—very wrong—but we’re running behind, can’t be late again, and it just happens).

Face it.  We’re a nation of distracted drivers.  Recent studies show we’re not just distracted but we don’t even think it’s a big burden while we’re driving.  The research shows drivers apparently overestimate their ability to multitask when they’re behind the wheel.   And so we end up doing more, like texting while eating and applying makeup, and oh yeah, driving!  At the end of this article there’s a link to a game that will show you just how difficult it is to drive while distracted.  The game measures how your reaction time is affected by external factors.  Take it, look at your response time results and prepare to be surprised.  However, regardless of the results, experts advise you to never text and drive.  Meantime, check out some of the comments we received when we asked Traveling Moms to tell us about what they see other drivers doing on the road, and we’re not just talking texting.

Caitlin: I have often seen people reading newspapers or books by holding them up over their steering wheel.

Nicole: The craziest thing I have seen driving on the highway…hubby looked over and saw a topless woman!

Aura: …a woman bottle feeding her baby in the front seat while she was driving.

Donna: A man eating a hamburger, talking on his cell phone, driving with his knees while it was raining!

Rose: I have seen people watching videos with those car DVD players, hooked on the passenger side visor, angled toward the driver.

Mimi: The craziest thing I’ve ever seen is a man playing a trumpet during the morning commute!

Jenn M: The craziest thing I have seen was a man “pleasuring himself” on a major interstate highway near our home.  We were doing the speed limit and he was going faster than we were!

Deanna: I saw a guy driving with a big dog across him with his big head out his window.

Margaret: A girl getting dressed, taking her shirt off and putting another on, all while driving.

Leanne: …typing on their laptop while driving.

Heidi: I saw a woman painting her nails while on her cell phone on the freeway! She was painting with her right hand, had her left hand being painted and had her cell phone squished between her right shoulder and ear!

Amanda: …a guy getting loving from his woman.

Lianne: The craziest thing I ever saw was a woman eating Chinese food holding the bowl with one hand and CHOPSTICKS with the other while she was driving on the highway.

Venus: Watching a man literally put on clown makeup, a red nose and wig while driving on the freeway.

Chelsea: I have tried to change shoes WHILE driving. I do NOT recommend that though. (Chelsea—thanks for your honesty!)

Crystal: I once saw a Mom who was driving climb into the backseat while the dad in the passenger seat stuck his foot on the pedal and tried to steer!

Kathy: I once saw a guy picking his nose which in turn made me start gagging. (Kathy, it would make us gag, too!)

Nuts, huh? Now, to test your own reaction to distracted driving, try this driving game.  And next time you’re on the road, put down the phone, the food, the makeup and be careful out there!

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