Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle – car, truck, motorcycle or any other motorized vehicle – after consuming alcohol is a serious crime.
This action is also known as driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated.
DUI & DWI involve operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of atleast 0.08%.
Some drivers may not even show warning signs of being under the influence, but That doesn’t make it any less dangerous.
It is always important to remember that any form of drinking and driving is illegal and can come with strict punishment.
The largest group at risk for drinking and driving are those who binge drink or are struggling with alcohol consumption.
Binge drinking means they consume a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time, putting them at risk for harmful side effects.
For most people, it takes roughly 30 minutes to 120 minutes for alcohol to be absorbed into your bloodstream.
Once this happens, your breathing may slow down and your cognitive skills may be delayed.
Because of this – it is ALWAYS dangerous to drink and drive.
The effects of alcohol abuse vary greatly from individual to individual, putting you at risk for causing an accident or highway injury.
Safe driving requires the ability to concentrate, make good judgements and quickly react to situations.
Alcohol affects all these skills, putting yourself and others in danger.
Alcohol impairs your driving skills in several ways:
It slows your reacting time, which increases the likelihood of an accident.
Heavy drinking affects your motor skills such as eye, hand and foot coordination.
Alcohol, no matter how much or how little, can influence your concentration.
Excessive alcohol consumption can negatively impact your vision.
Alcohol also inhibits your judgment, which plays an important role in how you make decisions.
In the United States alone, approximately 28 people die every single day in motor vehicle accidents that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.
In 2020, 11,654 Americans were killed in alcohol-related crashes. Alcohol-related accidents account for nearly one-third of all traffic related deaths.
No matter the circumstances, you should never drink and drive. Motor vehicle accidents reportedly cost the Unites States roughly $44 billion dollars each year.
The economic costs of these crashes include:
Lost productivity, workplace losses, legal fees, medical fees, emergency medical services and property damage.
Alcohol consumption can put anyone at risk of causing an accident or other serious injury.
Some populations are more likely to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking than others.
Drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 years old are 10 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash, compared to drivers over the age of 21.
In 2011 alone, nearly one million high school teens admitted to drinking and driving.
Many states have zero tolerance laws put in place that are aimed at adolescents who get behind the wheel of a car after consuming alcohol.
Best way to avoid a DWI or DUI, simply do not drink and drive.
