Consequences of Driving with Alcohol
03 November, 2021
A part of most people’s lives is engaging in social gatherings over a few drinks for leisure. A light and casual drinking during happy hour are pleasant. But some get carried away and end up having too much than they can handle. When the time comes to head back home, they may find themselves in the hot seat of trouble. Drinking alters one’s perception and behaviour so much that driving with alcohol affects the physical and mental faculties needed for safe driving.
According to the study by The Lancet in 2018, the safest level of drinking alcohol is none. Driving with alcohol in your system, no matter how small, is already an entire risk for others. Alcohol is a depressant that affects a person’s nervous system, including the brain and motor functions. Alcohol affects the person’s ability to drive no matter how experienced the driver is. The common effects of driving with alcohol are drowsiness and reduced concentration, impaired vision, slow down reflexes, not following road rules, and irritability or problematic behaviour. Because safe driving calls for the alertness of the mind and the quick coordination of the eyes, hand, and feet, alcohol slows the reaction time needed to make sharp judgments while driving.
Driving with alcohol is never a good idea
Driving with alcohol can lead to many consequences. Most road accidents are attributed to alcohol-related driving. Drunk drivers lose control and collide with other vehicles, pedestrians, and properties, resulting in property damage, temporary or lasting injuries, and even deaths. Since drink driving is a criminal offense, getting caught driving more than the allowed limit of alcohol intake may have to make you pay an infringement fine at the least starting from $200 or more, community service, vehicle impoundment or confiscation, mandatory disqualification of your driving license for a certain period of time; and you may have to deal with standard criminal court processes. More serious offenses may cost you heavy fines from $4,500 up to $20,000, a longer detention period and imprisonment terms of at least one year, and a criminal record.
If you know you’re going to be in charge of driving with alcohol, set limitations for yourself. Limit your drinking and monitor how much you have drank every hour. Stick to non-alcoholic drinks as much as possible or have non-alcoholic beverages in between. The safest way to keep safe while driving is to avoid driving with alcohol at all. Always take your BAC reading before getting behind the wheel.
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