Just about everyone has been told many times that they shouldn’t drink and drive. Even those who have never been behind the wheel of a car or had an alcoholic drink in their lives know that it’s a bad idea, but not everyone seems to know exactly how drinking can affect their ability to drive. In some cases, people don’t know how much trouble they’re in until they try to drive home after just a couple of drinks. By then, it’s usually too late.
It’s best to know how alcohol will affect you before you decide to start drinking, especially if you’re in a situation where you may have to drive. Alcohol affects everyone a little differently with some people having a higher tolerance than others, but there are effects that are universal. All of these will affect your ability to drive, so it’s best to know about them.
Reduced Reaction Times
One of the biggest reasons why you should never drink and drive is due to the way alcohol reduces your reaction time. This can happen with as little as one drink, even if you still feel completely sober. Driving any vehicle requires a great deal of concentration, and even a slightly slowed reaction time can cause an accident.
Impaired Judgment
Not only does alcohol reduce your reaction time, but it also impairs your judgment. It’s easy to think that you haven’t had that much to drink and that you’re still sober enough to drive, but you may not be in the best position to make that call. If you’re among friends, pay attention when they tell you that you’ve had enough to drink or that you’re too drunk to drive home.
Reduced Coordination
Just as driving requires a lot of concentration, it may also call for quick reflexes. Just about anything can happen on the road, and you need to be ready for it. Alcohol can and will reduce your coordination, which could prevent you from making a split-second maneuver to avoid an accident.
Impaired Vision
According to Garza Bail Bonds, a provider of affordable Pearland Bail Bonds, alcohol doesn’t completely destroy your ability to see clearly when taken in small amounts, but it does make tracking moving objects much more difficult. You have to be able to see where you are going and know if there’s a problem on the road while you’re driving, and anything that can impair your vision will lead to problems.
Tips for Avoiding an Accident
Whenever you’re in a situation where you will have to drive, it’s safer to just avoid drinking altogether. Even a little bit of alcohol can impair your ability to drive, and you can still get charged with a DUI even if your blood-alcohol concentration is under the legal limit if the police decide that your driving is impaired.
If you must drink, make sure you know your limits. Everyone has a slightly different tolerance when it comes to alcohol, and you should have an idea of how much you can drink before you’re officially intoxicated. Stick to one alcoholic drink an hour as a rule, and drink something non-alcoholic such as water in between your alcoholic beverages. If you’re going to drive, wait at least an hour after your last drink, preferably longer. You shouldn’t be feeling the effects of alcohol at all when you finally get behind the wheel of your car.
Drinking and driving are one of the most dangerous and foolish things a person can do. If you’re someplace where alcohol is being served, either abstain from drinking or have a designated driver who stays sober for the night. There are simply too many things that can go wrong when you mix alcohol and driving, so do whatever you need to do to stay safe.
