When thinking about impaired drivers, many people assume that they’re going to be young. After all, it would make sense that teens or young adults who are unfamiliar with the risks may take greater risks than others.
In reality, it’s not that simple. It’s true that car crashes are a leading cause of death for teens, but the groups that are more likely to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08% or greater are actually those between the ages of 21 to 24 and 25 to 34. Interestingly, while the 21- to 24-year age group had the highest percentage of drunk drivers at 27%, the 25 to 34 age group still made up 25%.
Men or women: Who’s most likely to blame for drunk driving?
It is most likely for men to drive while impaired. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the rate of male drunk drivers compared to female is around four to one.
How does BAC play a role in crashes?
In 2019, there were 1,775 people killed in alcohol-related crashes where drivers had BACs of .01 to .07%, much above the legal limit. Did you know that you can start feeling and seeing the impact of alcohol with a blood alcohol concentration as low as .02%?
Although people tend to think that .08% is a firm limit, the reality is that you can be arrested for drunk driving at any BAC level. This is because you may have symptoms like a loss of judgment or altered mood with as little as .02% BAC. At just .02%, it’s possible that you could lose the ability to track moving targets or see as clearly as you should to be behind the wheel.
Knowing that there is a great risk of drunk driving across multiple age ranges, you should be aware of your own behaviors as well as those of others on the road. If you are stopped for drunk driving, it’s important that you do build a strong defense against the allegations. Without one, you could face serious financial implications and be at risk of serving jail time.