You drank all night with your friends, and then you realized that your designated driver was nowhere to be found. One of your friends suggested that they might have left with someone they met at the bar, but that puts you in a dangerous position.
Prevent drunk driving crashes by being aware
Drinking and driving is a known hazard to yourself and others. While the only way to prevent these accidents as a result of your own actions is to avoid drinking and driving at any time, there are also a number of ways that you can prevent others from getting into crashes.
Any time alcohol mixes with driving, it's a bad combination. Even at a blood alcohol concentration of .02%, people still see the impact of alcohol on their nervous system. It's not safe to drive drunk, but what can you do to help prevent it?
Fight a DWI charge, and you can help protect your future
You and your friends love football season. It's not just a game, it's a way of life for you. Every time there is a game, you head down to the local sports bar, have a few beers, watch the game and then head home.
Lately, there have been many more officers around the bar, and you've noticed more people getting pulled over. Still, you felt like you were safe from that, because you'd only ever had a few drinks before heading out. Unfortunately, you were wrong.
Just how quickly can your body reach a .08% blood alcohol level?
When you plan to drink, whether it's a few drinks with friends or drinks at dinner, you need to make plans to get home safely. If you aren't cautious, you could end up driving home while intoxicated.
If the police stop you and accuse you of a DWI, you may find that you're in a world of trouble. You could be asked to take a breath test, and your blood alcohol content could be above .08%.
How long will it take your body to process your alcoholic drinks?
Whether you're watching the game at a friend's house or hanging out at the bar with your co-workers after work, throwing back a few drinks can be a great social lubricant and make the time fly by. When it's time to head home, you want to make sure that you're being safe and responsible.
Making sure you don't drink too much too quickly is always a smart decision if you intend to drive, but how do you know when it's safe to get behind the wheel again?
Who is most likely to drink and drive?
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for persons under 24 years old in the United States, and nearly half of them are alcohol-related, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, nearly 300 people die each year in drunk-driving crashes across the country. The holidays are also a time for increased enforcement measures resulting in more DWI charges.
Football season woes: Avoid a DWI after the game
Football season is great. You get to go out to the local sports bar with your friends. You enjoy a few beers while you're watching the game, and you generally have a great night.
The trouble doesn't start until you try to make your way home. Depending on the length of the game and how much you and your friends have been drinking, it may not be safe for you to drive home.
Calibration is important for breath tests
You went out for drinks, and you felt fine. You had only three drinks over the course of an hour or two, so you felt like you'd be able to drive and get home without trouble. Of course, there's always the risk that your blood alcohol content is too high, but since you didn't feel buzzed, you thought it would be fine.
Around half way back to your home, you started to feel the impact of your last drink. It resulted in you swerving a little bit, but when you realized that you were potentially impaired, you pulled to the side of the road.
If you enjoy mixed drinks, you could be at risk of a DWI
Your blood alcohol concentration is directly linked to the amount of alcohol you have in the blood. Someone who has a BAC of 0.10% has one part of alcohol per every 1,000 parts of blood. For every hour you've gone without drinking, you can reduce your estimated BAC by 0.015%.
The way that your drinks affect you will vary based on numerous factors. One important note is that carbonated drinks affect BAC significantly. For example, if you have a carbonated mixed drink, the carbonation leads to the alcohol being absorbed more quickly.
How long does it take to reach a .08% blood alcohol content?
Drinking is often a way people use to socialize - and you yourself may enjoy it. You don't have any problem with it, and you feel like you know how many drinks you can have before it wouldn't be safe to drive.
Thinking you know and knowing are two different things, though. It only takes a blood alcohol content of .08% to be arrested for a DWI on the spot, so it's important that you don't drive when you've been drinking.
