Question: If You Drink Alcohol socially, What Helps Ensure Safe Driving?
A. Ride home with a friend who has not been drinking.
B. Drink coffee before driving.
C. Stop drinking one half hour before driving.
D. Take a cold shower before driving.
The correct answer to this question is option A. Ride home with a friend who has not been drinking.
Explanation: If You Drink Alcohol Socially, What Helps Ensure Safe Driving?
A safe and responsible choice if you’ve been drinking is to arrange for a friend who hasn’t consumed alcohol to give you a ride home. This way, you ensure that you’re not driving under the influence and risking impaired driving. It’s important to prioritize your safety and the safety of others on the road. Choosing a designated driver who is sober can help prevent accidents and potential legal consequences related to driving under the influence of alcohol.
According to the CDC, around 10,500 people lost their lives in accidents caused by alcohol-impaired driving in 2016 in the United States. This made up about 28% of all traffic-related deaths that year. In that same year, more than 1 million drivers faced arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Driving a vehicle—whether it’s a car, truck, or motorcycle—after consuming alcohol is a serious offense. This action is often called driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI), and it involves operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level of at least 0.08%. Even a small amount of alcohol can be dangerous, and some drivers might not show clear signs of being intoxicated. It’s important to understand that any form of drinking and driving is against the law and can result in severe penalties.
The group most at risk for drinking and driving are those who binge drink or have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This means they consume a large amount of alcohol quickly, which can lead to harmful effects. It takes around 30 minutes to two hours for alcohol to enter the bloodstream. During this time, your breathing might slow down, and your ability to think clearly can be delayed. This is why drinking and driving is always risky.
Safe driving is crucial because it can save lives, help you avoid costly fines or even jail time due to traffic violations, and keep your insurance costs down. In some states, repeated violations related to drinking and driving can even result in special license plates, like yellow ones in Ohio.
Crash data reveals that alcohol still plays a significant role in the number of people injured and killed in accidents. Even with a blood alcohol level of 0.05, your risk of crashing doubles compared to a sober driver. And as your BAC level increases, the risk of a crash goes up dramatically.
