Pablo Luna
Driving under the influence of alcohol causes more than a quarter of the total accidents in the United States every year. . According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), someone dies due to drunk driving every forty-five minutes in America. This is an alarming situation that needs to be addressed by the community immediately. In this informative article, we’ll discuss what happens when you drink and drive. In addition to this, you’ll find some stats that reveal the gravity of the situation. We’ll also explore ways of preventing yourself and your loved ones from facing the severe impacts of drunk driving.
What Happens When You Drink And Drive
We all know what happens when we have one too many drinks. However, do you understand why it is so? When you consume alcohol, the oxygen levels in your blood drops. It makes you feel fatigued, changes your behavior, and affects your cognitive senses. In addition to this, you may have problems in coordination. However, the most prominent signs of being drunk are slurred speech, blurred vision, and a lack of hand-eye coordination. In addition to this, you may even experience hallucinations, memory loss, and blackouts. While in a state of intoxication, getting behind the wheel is the most dangerous idea.
The dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol are way too many to be mentioned in this article. Nevertheless, it is vital to mull over the most common ones. A driver must be highly alert while driving a vehicle. If you are under the influence of alcohol while driving, you will not be able to respond to the obstacles in time. In addition to this, the required response time is greatly reduced in the dark. This is the reason why most drunk driving accidents happen during late hours. If you’re intoxicated, you’ll have difficulty noticing things in the dark. Furthermore, the lights from the approaching vehicles may blind you momentarily because your eyesight becomes more sensitive when you’re drunk. You must not jeopardize yourself and others on the road by driving a vehicle in an intoxicated state.
Drunk Driving Stats
The statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveal that driving under the influence of alcohol causes more than 25% of all road-accident-related deaths in America. The report also disclosed that nearly 300,000 people were injured in accidents caused by drunk driving in 2020. Furthermore, the statistics provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) uncovered that nearly thirty people die due to alcohol-impaired driving every day. According to the report, drivers who have more than 0.10 blood alcohol content are 7 times more likely to be involved in a road accident. The number of deaths caused by drunk driving in the United States every year is estimated to be around 10,000. However, the saddest part is that more than 10% of the people who are killed in drunk driving accidents are children.
How To Prevent Drunk Driving Accidents
The worst thing about accidents is the aftermath that follows. Thousands of families are destroyed due to alcohol every year in the United States alone. While many people survive accidents with minor injuries, many lose their lives or are permanently disabled. It is crucial to drink responsibly and never drive a vehicle while intoxicated. In this section, we’ll explore the different ways to keep yourself and others safe from drunk driving.
Follow Traffic Laws
The traffic rules and regulations set by the government are in place to ensure everyone’s safety on the road. The rules must be followed at all times. If you abide by the traffic laws, you can greatly reduce the chance of being in an accident. It is a good habit to buckle your seatbelt as soon as you get in a vehicle. If you’re ever involved in a drunk driving accident in Georgia and need an attorney, the lawyers at https://butlerfirm.com/georgia-car-accident-lawyers/drunk-driving-accidents/ advise you to seek from legal professionals that have experience in the field with these kinds of cases. You should also ensure that all the passengers in your vehicle fasten their seatbelts as well. In the event of a crash, seatbelts and airbags can prevent the accident from becoming fatal. In addition to this, if your vehicle has ever been in an accident and the airbags were deployed, you should make sure that the airbags are reinstalled as soon as possible.
Stay Alert
You must be attentive to the cars near you in addition to keeping an eye on the road ahead. If you notice a vehicle swerving or cutting lanes, maintain a safe distance from the vehicle and call the emergency services. That said, you should follow the traffic signals even if the road ahead seems clear of traffic. In addition to this, you should always slow down your vehicle at curves and intersections. You never know if another vehicle is approaching from around the curve.
Assign A Driver
When you go out for parties and get-togethers, it is easy to get drunk while you’re having fun. Always have a designated driver for occasions like these. Someone sober must be in charge of dropping people off at their homes. If everyone in your company is drunk, handing over the car keys to the one who is the least drunk is not a good idea. Instead, it is better to call a cab. You can always pick up your car the next day when you’ve sobered up. If for some reason that you can’t get a cab, you should stay the night and leave the next morning. That being said, if you’re partying on a weekend, the probability of drunk drivers on the road increases. It is best to avoid driving late at night on weekends. If possible, try to remain sober and volunteer as the designated driver to keep yourself and others safe from drunk driving accidents.
A large portion of road accident casualties is caused by alcohol-impaired drivers. Consuming alcohol makes you disoriented and weakens your ability to drive. To prevent yourself from being a victim of drunk driving, always follow the traffic laws, have a designated driver for parties, and stay highly alert while driving your vehicle.
