Keep The Roads Safe During The Holidays by Avoiding Drunk Driving

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The holiday season is full of fun and getting together with friends and family. Many parties include alcohol. If you don't watch your drinking carefully, it is fairly easy to drink too much, putting you over the legal limit. Unfortunately, too many people overestimate their ability to drive a car under this condition and put everyone on the roads in danger. If you are planning on drinking and driving this holiday season, here are some things you can think about.

Quick Stats

To give an idea of how dangerous driving is when alcohol is in your system, here are some quick stats for you to see that every drink increases the likelihood that you will get in an accident:

• Even with a BAC of .04, a driver is 1.4 times more likely than the average person to be involved in an accident, even though it is under the legal limit
• Compared to a driver with no alcohol in their system, you are 7 times more likely to be involved in a car accident with just a .10 blood alcohol concentration (BAC)
• A BAC of .15 makes you 25 times more likely to get in an accident
• A driver with a BAC of .08 is 11 times more likely to crash.
• Increasing the BAC to .10 makes you 48 times more likely to crash than a sober driver.
• Reaching a .15 BAC increases your chances to 380 times more likely.

Consequences

In every state there are consequences for driving drunk. It doesn't matter if you don't feel or act drunk, if your BAC is .08 or above, you are guilty. Each state has different punishments, but you will at least pay a fine and are at risk of having your driver's license suspended or revoked.

There are consequences for more than just the driver when getting behind the wheel while drunk. Many car accidents involve another car. If you hit another car while driving drunk, it is very likely you will hurt or kill passengers in the other vehicle. Don't be too surprised when a car accident lawyer comes knocking on your door to hand you a subpoena. You are liable for all damages caused from your impaired driving.

If you die from your own negligence, your family and friends still suffer. Some think that there are no consequences for others when they mess up, but most families would rather get together to celebrate the holidays than to open up your will.

Be Smart

Never drive when you are drunk. Even just a few drinks affects the ability you have to drive. This doesn't mean that you can't drink and have a good time, it just means you need to plan ahead. Take turns being the designated driver so that there is always someone who is able to drive the others home at the end of the party. Don't ruin the holidays for you or anyone else who is on the road.

Talk to a lawyer such as Allison & Rickards, Attorneys at Law, LLC if you have more questions about the consequences of drunk driving.

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18 November 2014