Negative Effects of Alcohol on Driving

As a depressant, alcohol decreases the functioning of the central nervous system, including the brain. As a result, it is not recommended that anybody participate in drinking and driving, since alcohol levels may impair your driving by causing:

• Eyesight problems
• Shorter response times
• Decreased attentiveness and concentration
• Feeling more relaxed and tired, which may result in a motorist falling asleep behind the wheel
• Difficulties comprehending sensory information difficulty doing many activities concurrently (e.g. keep in the lane and in the right direction, while concentrating on other traffic)
• Failure to follow traffic laws might lead to risk-taking.

Physiologic Effects of Alcohol Levels 

Furthermore, the physiologic effects of alcohol might linger the following day. After a night of drinking, the effects of a hangover may make it difficult to focus and drive safely, and can even lead you to fall asleep behind the wheel. You could still be charged with a DUI for drinking and driving if your alcohol levels are past the legal limit.

And, since alcohol levels alter our perceptions and experiences of reality, you may be ignorant of how much your driving abilities have been compromised. A person who has used alcohol may believe that if they exercise extreme caution, they would be able to drive safely – yet this is almost always warped by the effects of alcohol.

If you have received a DUI in Arizona, you may be looking for an ignition interlock device in Scottsdale, AZ. Clear2DriveTM is here to help you get back on the road safely. Keep reading to learn more about physiologic effects of alcohol, driving reaction times, and drinking and driving.

Proven Research

Even a trace amount of alcohol levels for driving can harm your skills.

According to the study, “Effects of Low Doses of Alcohol on Driving-Related Skills” published by the US Department of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there is significant evidence that impairment of several driving-related skills may begin at any BAC level over zero.

According to their findings, when alcohol levels for driving are present in the body, the following significant impairments occur:

• Divided attention is the capacity to focus on two or more activities at once and make judgments about them. According to certain research, impairment may begin at a BAC as low as 0.005, implying that splitting attention between apparently easy activities might be impaired at very low levels.

• Vigilance – is the degree of attentiveness or watchfulness we may apply to a task or an object while driving. BACs of at least 0.03 were shown to decrease alertness in studies.

• Tracking refers to our capacity to retain and manage our position in response to changes in our driving environment. Tracking problems may contribute to single-vehicle runs off the road or head-on collisions. The research discovered impairment at blood alcohol concentrations as low as 0.0018 and consistently at 0.005 BAC.

• Perception is our capacity to integrate and make sense of information that is provided to us, whether via our eyes, hearing, or feeling. According to the results of the study, even at BAC levels as low as 0.04 there was impairment in perception.

• Visual acuity (the capacity to discern fine detail in objects), contrast sensitivity, eye movements, and motor control of the eye are examples of visual functions. At BACs of roughly 0.03 percent, impairment in certain visual functions became apparent.

• Psychomotor abilities are the ability to maintain balance while performing and coordinating bodily actions. According to the research, a BAC of 0.04 might cause balance impairment. At 0.05, complex activities that need coordination may be influenced.

• Driving Reaction Times – The time that elapses between the occurrence of an event or the presentation of an item and a person’s reaction to it, if one is necessary, is referred to as reaction time. The research found that alcohol levels may affect driving reaction times as low as 0.02 and consistently at 0.06.

• Drowsiness – At BACs of at least 0.01, it takes much less time to fall asleep than it would if you had not consumed alcohol. So, even if you are under the legal limit, the more drowsy you are, the more likely it is that you will have a fatigue-related collision.

Give us a call if you have been charged with driving while intoxicated and need an ignition interlock device in Scottsdale, AZ. Clear2DriveTM can assist you in securely resuming your driving duties. Aside from installing an interlock device, here are some more driving safety measures.

Driving Safety Advice

The safest approach if you plan to drive is to not drink. Even a little amount of alcohol might impair your driving abilities. An ignition interlock device can not only fulfill your DUI requirements, but it can hold you accountable for driving under the influence.

1. Keep note of the amount of alcohol you consume.

Keep track of how much you drink by counting the number of standard drinks you consume every hour while you’re drinking.

Everyone processes alcohol differently, and you might have a high blood alcohol content (BAC) sooner than another person.

1. KNOW your BAC instead than guessing it.

There is no other method to know your BAC outside a test, and the most reliable way to determine your BAC is via a breathalyzer. We recommend that you order one to check your alcohol level.

1. Consume in moderation

Begin with a non-alcoholic drink and have one every other drink as a “spacer.”

Drink low-alcohol beverages instead of filling up your glass, and avoid mixed drinks like cocktails since it’s nearly impossible to know how much alcohol is in them.

Try not to drink in rounds to avoid feeling rushed to keep up with your buddies.

Drink plenty of water and avoid salty snacks and other foods that may make you thirsty.

1. Before driving, wait for your BAC to fall.

It’s vital to note that BAC might continue to climb for up to 3 hours after the last drink.

Allowing your body time to digest alcohol is the only way to get it out of your system. Showering, drinking coffee, or getting some fresh air will not help you lower your BAC.

The liver degrades one standard drink each hour on average. For each standard drink you’ve had, you should wait at least one hour before driving.

And, to be certain of your BAC, always use a breathalyzer test.

1. Have a backup strategy in place.

If you’ve had too much to drink, plan ahead of time to avoid having to drive home. Taxi apps like Uber and Lyft make getting a safe ride easy and fast.

Always consider whether or not you are fit to drive before getting behind the wheel. If you’re looking for an ignition interlock device in Scottsdale, AZ, give Clear2DriveTM a call.