(Akiit.com) Alcohol, for better or worse, is a staple of western society. While most of us have had some great experiences that involved alcohol in some way, countless people lose their lives every year to drink driving. What’s so tragic about this issue is that it’s easily avoidable, and many people have something of a warped view of it. Here, I’ve listed some of the most common myths about drink driving. Don’t believe them, and don’t spread them!
“It’s fine. I’ve only had a couple.”
This is a common defense from people who are pulled over on suspicion of drink driving. You may have heard it, or even said it before. Your limit isn’t about the amount you drink. It’s about how much is in your system, and each individual body processes alcohol
in a slightly different way. Your weight, age, gender, metabolism, and how much you’ve eaten can all dictate how much alcohol you have in your body when you’re pulled over. Don’t think that you can just count your drinks and tell whether you’re safe and legal to drive.
“It’s fine, you’ll be under the limit if they breathalyze you.”
You don’t have to be over the legal limit for inebriated driving to turn your life on its head. If you show less than a certain BAC (blood alcohol concentration) then you’ll be under the legal limit. However, if you have any amount of alcohol in your system, and a police officer pulls you over for irregular driving, they could still slap you with a cold, hard DUI charge. A lot of commercial vehicle and truck accident attorneys have to deal with cases where the driver at fault thought they were fine to drive, simply because they knew they were under the limit. As mentioned above, the effects of alcohol vary from person to person, and even a small amount could land you in trouble with the law.
“It’s fine, you’ve slept since then.”
Sleep isn’t some kind of magical cure for being drunk. Sure, you might feel a little more refreshed when you wake up, but your body may still have a while to go before it metabolizes all the booze in your system. If you crash and get a good 8 hours, depending on the amount you’ve drunk, you should generally be fine to drive. After a two-hour power-nap in the driver’s seat? Not so much.
“It’s fine, just have some coffee”
Just like sleeping, a strong coffee may make you feel much more alert and refreshed, but it won’t change the amount of alcohol in your blood, and actually does very little against the inebriating effects of drinking. You’ll not only be at risk of getting a DUI if you’re pulled over, but more importantly, you’ll be just as unfit to operate a car, and at a greater risk of an accident. Don’t mistake the stimulating effects of caffeine with being sober enough to drive. You’re still just as drunk, even if you feel a little more awake.
If you’ve been believing any of these myths, I hope this post has helped you drop some bad habits!
Staff Writer; Steve Moore