Officials from the Michigan State Police are highlighting the dangers of distracted driving after an incident on Wednesday. A 73-year-old Detroit man, who was attempting to navigate his taste for chicken wings while driving, rear-ended a trooper's patrol vehicle. The collision occurred around 3:15 p.m. on the southbound John C. Lodge Service Drive at West Grand Boulevard, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
No injuries ensued when the trooper, who had been stopped for a red light in the center lane, found his patrol car abruptly acquainted with the elderly man's vehicle. Trying to eat chicken wings at the same time, the man was issued a citation for what turned into an afternoon of support for the caution against divided attention on the road. The Detroit Free Press relayed that there was only minor vehicle damage from the incident.
Michigan State Police First Lt. Mike Shaw expressed relief that the outcome wasn't severe. "It is important to remember to focus on driving when behind the wheel," Shaw stated, as per the Detroit Free Press, emphasizing the peril in which distracted driving like eating wings at the wheel can put both the driver and others on the road.
The issued citation for the driver serves as a less-than-gentle reminder of the importance Shaw emphasized on traffic safety. "Driving distracted, in this case, eating wings, is a risky driving behavior that leads to preventable crashes. Fortunately, no one was hurt in this case," said Lt. Shaw, in a warning that mirrored the aftermath of the minor collision, as noted by WWJ Newsradio. With the police car being where the man hit the back of it, the situation could have escalated beyond the minor damages reported, highlighting the dangers of such distractions.
