One minute your in the bar, having a couple of laughs with someone you just met. The flirting rises as both of you chug down your drinks. As you drink more, you become bolder, so is the other person. Both of you now have a roaring good time. As the night ends, you exchange numbers, say your goodbyes and get to your cars. That’s when the nightcap ends, the likelihood that you’ll end up in a hospital is far greater than the other motorists on the road, and odds are you’ll cause the accident. Drinking and driving never matched, you may never have the chance to dial the number you just got from the person in the bar.
Fact, drunk driving is the leading cause of motor vehicle mishaps all over the world. Fact, motor vehicle accidents is the leading cause of death in the United States for people under the age of 34. Basically, the more you drink the more the likelihood that you will get into an accident if you drive. During holidays, vehicular accidents rise dramatically because of all the drinking and celebration.
Laws have been passed to curb the incidents of drunk driving. Most states have laws that prohibit a person who have been drinking above a certain limit from driving. Most states have a BAC limit of 0.10 percent while some have lowered it to 0.08 percent for drivers 21 and above. Anyone younger shouldn’t even be drinking. BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) is the ratio of the alcohol to the blood of the body. BAC is used as the percentage of the amount of alcohol present in every deciliter of blood.
As more alcohol is consumed the risk of getting into a vehicular accident if the person drives grows. For example, a man that weighs about 160 pounds would have a BAC of 0.04 an hour after drinking two beers. It’s still way below the limit of driving under the influence but the likelihood of getting into an accident is 1.4 times more probable than someone who hasn’t had a drop. Add two more beers then the probability goes up tenfold. Make it a six pack with two more beers, the drinker reaches the limit of 0.10 BAC and the risk is now 48 times more that the non drinker. Add two more for the road and you reach 0.15 BAC well above the legal limit and the risk is now 380 times than the abstainer. Drunk driving is never an option.
Driving requires complete attention and all the motor skills of the person. Your hand and eye coordination is essential as well as the skills. A driver’s ability to divide his or her attention to multiple visual sensations is drastically cut as the level of BAC grows. Information processing, reaction time, attentiveness on the road, driving skills and all aspects of psychomotor performance is greatly reduced with a high level of BAC.
Incidents of drunk driving with persons below 21 years of age have been alarming. Many blame this on the fact that because of the young age their driving skills are minute. Inexperience and alcohol doesn’t mix well with drunk driving. With the energetic youth and their adventurous spunk, driving drunk is never an alternative. Young people have an inclination to take risks when driving, like speeding and they have the tendency to under or over estimate situations. Drinking alone is illegal for those under the age of 21. The fact that they are underage drinkers increases the risk of getting involved in vehicular accidents.
Many laws have been imposed to help reduce drunk driving related vehicular accidents. Penalties and legal sanctions are handed down to those convicted of drunk driving, this also serves as a warning to those who drink and drive. When a person is caught drunk driving and convicted, penalties and sanctions include suspension of the license to drive. You may also have to pay a certain amount. For repeated offenders, jail time may also be included and permanent suspension of the license may be done. There is also the imposition of having to attend seminars on drunk driving.
Many laws have been passed to prevent drunk driving and thankfully the number of drunk driving related accidents has dropped. Drinking could be a great way to celebrate or pass the time away. But if you plan on drinking, make sure that you have a designated driver or just take a cab home. No price is too high for a person’s health. Whatever the reason is for drinking, never ever get behind a wheel.
For more info please visit the drunk driving accidents resource guide.