With the holiday season around the corner, many opportunities arise for drinking and celebrating. But drinking has consequences.
Underage drivers are repeatedly told, “don’t drink and drive” and of-age drivers sometimes get told, “please drink responsibly.” No matter how you interpret the message, the bottom line is that one should not drive after consuming alcohol; use your better judgment.
Not only is it illegal to drink and drive, but cops are more strict about it during this time of the year. A cop will see you driving before you see them.
While many people will take this lightly or laugh at the idea of drinking and driving, according to the National Highway Safety Administration, someone is killed in an alcohol related crash every 30 minutes.
No matter what state you’re in, it’s against the law to drive while intoxicated. Although the legal limit of alcohol content in the bloodstream is 0.08 percent, a person’s vision begins to become impaired at 0.02 percent, along with their concentration and reaction time, which are key components to driving.
It was estimated that 34 percent of all traffic deaths occurred in crashes in which at least one driver or non-occupant had a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or more. Alcohol was present in almost 40 percent of all fatal crashes and traffic fatalities.
Drinking and driving is no joke. Not only is it important not to drink and drive but also to not get in a car with someone who is under the influence of alcohol.
If know that you or someone that you’re with will be drinking, it is always best to have a plan. The cost of a life compared to a cab ride is beyond comparison.
While the penalties vary state by state, all 50 states have adopted 0.08 as the standard to impose charges for driving while intoxicated (DWI), driving under the influence (DUI), or operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OUI).
One will generally always get their license suspended, and is assigned to a mandated alcoholic treatment program such as Alcoholics Anonymous.
Drunk driving can be easily avoided. Some believe the myth that drinking coffee sobers them up, or they can wait for it to wear off but the truth is that alcohol only leaves your system at a rate of .015 percent per hour.
Reliable ways that you can use to prevent drinking and driving are calling a cab, walking, or allowing a designated driver to hold your keys.
Driving a car under the influence is not the only way to receive a DUI. You can receive a DUI from riding a bicycle as well.
No matter how much a person drinks, or how well they can “hold their liquor,” no one should drive after drinking because they don’t only put themselves at risk, but everyone on the streets around them.
If you don’t drink and drive you might just save a life.
