The Impact Of Alcohol On Driving Ability

Your blood alcohol content–or BAC–is determined by several facets. In the United States, the legal limit is . 08, though this can be higher or lower in other countries. It depends not only on how much you drink (though this is, obviously, the key part of the equation) but also on your gender, size, what you have had to eat, metabolism, and tolerance. Average sized men can often get away with drinking three drinks in a row before they hit the legal limit. Women tend to be at two drinks when . 08 is reached.

In the United States, people with BAC levels this high are prohibited by law to operate any heavy equipment. Sadly, many people drink and drive. The lucky ones are caught and fined. The less lucky ones make it home with no authority figure being any the wiser. Without punishment people believe they are 'fine' to drive again and will take another risk. The least lucky are the ones who kill themselves or others with reckless behavior.

This is because alcohol is a depressant, which means it lowers your inhibitions and it slows you down. It takes far longer for you to react to something–like an on-coming car–when your blood alcohol content is this high. It also makes you more extroverted and daring, lowering your good judgment and making you take risks. Not only are your logic skills impaired, but so is your vision.

Your depth perception is one of the first things to go. Your peripheral vision may also be lowered or just ignored by you. Think of how frequently people fall over just walking when they are drunk, or miss their chairs, or find someone more attractive than they normally would. When you cannot see, you should not put yourself in a big hunk of metal and go hurdling down the road at fifty miles an hour.

There are many different tests used to ascertain if an individual is drunk or not. Saying the alphabet backwards will let an officer know if you have memory or concentration skills to apply to the road. Some times people fail at spelling their own last names.

Coordination is the next step, letting officers see if you could find anything inside the car. They do this by making you stand on one leg or by having you touch your fingers to your nose. If you cannot do either, it probably means you were flopping around inside the car, not able to properly hold yourself up and unable to find something like the windshield wipers or the lights.

You will also probably be asked to walk a straight line. This tests your coordination, but it above all tests your vision. If your vision and balance are so impaired that you cannot slowly walk a straight line, how can your drive around curves that quickly and stay on the road?

The last way an officer will test you is with a breathalyzer. Some skip the other tests and go straight for this one. It is the most accurate and can analyze your breath to get your blood alcohol levels. It is the way officers can be sure they can legally arrest you. If you have any doubts about your level, do not drive. A good rule is to wait over an hour and a half for every drink you consumed.

Drinking and driving is a crime, hire a impaired driving lawyer keep a clean criminal record.

Published by: Mario Lois on March 31st, 2010 | Filed under Legal



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