Despite the public warnings and stiffer penalties of getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, people still take this risk. If you choose to drive yourself home when impaired by alcohol, you’re putting your life and those of others at risk. Regardless of well you handle the drink, there’s still a heightened risk of causing injuries and death. Did you know that alcohol can affect your coordination, judgment, and reaction time while driving?
The risks of drinking and driving
If the alcohol concentration in your body is 0.1 or more, you’re likely to cause an accident. But even the smallest amount can affect your driving. Let’s look at some of the risks of driving while intoxicated.
Slowed reaction time
When you’re intoxicated, you can’t react quickly to situations compared to when you’re sober. For example, if the front driver brakes instantly, you may not be in a position to slow down. Instead, you’ll run into the back of their car. Even worse, you may not react if you see a pedestrian crossing the road. And the reason is straightforward – when you’re intoxicated, you’ll have slower reflexes that can affect the eye, hand, and foot coordination. These skills are crucial if you want to drive your car safely.
One way of checking whether your reaction time and coordination are up to standard is doing a simple test. If you have trouble putting the keys onto the ignition, your impairment may have reached a level where you cannot drive the car. Similarly, if you can’t stand up straight, you should avoid getting behind the wheel.
Poor judgment
When you take too much alcohol, you can cloud your judgment. Also, you can make the wrong decisions that you wouldn’t if you were sober. For instance, you can drive without reading the road signs or well beyond the speed limit. On the other hand, driving while intoxicated can make you get distracted with something like a text. Think about it – some things like sticking to one lane requires undivided attention.
When it comes to judgment, this is something you can’t take even the slightest risk. If you take alcohol, you may not be able to calculate the distance between your car and the one in front of you. But when you have a clear mind, you’ll be fully aware of your surroundings, thereby reducing the chances of causing an accident. As your blood alcohol concentration climbs, the danger of causing an accident when behind the wheel skyrockets.
Because judgment is all about the mind, the mental effects after talking alcohol include:
- The hearing and speech declines
- It becomes tough to identify any dangerous situation
- The short-term memory suffers and the ability to concentrate declines
- Inability to process information like visual searches, signal detection, etc.
Reduced vision
Too much alcohol can affect how you see the world. When the drink enters your body, the muscle coordination reduces and it becomes hard for the eyes to send messages to the brain. This, in turn, interferes with your vision. It’s also believed that when you drink, the pupils dilate slowly and the eye cannot adjust contrast.
What does this mean? You may not be in a position to judge the distance or even see the bloodspots. Besides, when alcohol affects the brain functions, it will interfere with the defensive mechanism. Of course, the excessive eye twitching makes it hard to keep them open.
With diminished vision, you can swerve in front of cars or drift off the road without realizing it. This explains why you should check your visual impairment before you get behind the wheel.
Legal ramifications of drinking
If you choose to drink and get behind the wheel, you could face serious legal consequences. Generally, when an officer of the law stops you, he will conduct some sobriety tests. In some cases, you may be forced to use a breathalyzer to perform the BAC test. If it’s confirmed that you’re driving under alcohol, you risk being arrested and charged accordingly.
Why you need a DWI attorney
Driving while intoxicated is illegal and can attract hefty fines and penalties. If an officer of the law pulls you over and he confirms that you’re intoxicated, you should prepare for a long road with the justice system. This is where a DWI attorney comes in.
Will help keep your license
If you’re charged with DWI, you risk losing your license for a specific period. This may harm your work and even social life. A DWI attorney will help you navigate the charges, and could even have them reduced. If it’s your first time, the DWI attorney may convince the court to have it back.
Avoid high-risk insurance
If you have a competent DWI attorney, he or she can negotiate lesser charges. Some of these financial premiums are mandatory and may hurt our financial stability. A DWI attorney will help you navigate the available options, so that you may be eligible to get back on the road.
Will assess your case
Every DWI charge is different – a DWI attorney will assess the different factors and help you understand the legal consequences for your actions. With this in mind, you should work with a DWI attorney who understands the options. In some states, there could be harsher punishments for those who exceed a specific BAC limit.
Avoid stiffer testing
As a way of punishing the offenders, some states can punish the offenders through some tests. Some may be required to undergo urinalysis once a day. And if you miss the test, you risk going to jail. A DWI attorney can convince the jury that you don’t need such tests to live a normal life. If the penalty applies, it can be reduced to a certain level.
Limit probation
A common DWI charge is reporting to the court for the next three months. Probation is not only embarrassing but can also interfere with your daily schedule. A DWI attorney will help you negotiate the terms or reduce the charges altogether.
Safeguard future employment
If a criminal record is not handled properly, it can affect your current and employment. You know how embarrassing it can be if you’re rejected because your records are not clean. With an attorney, the charges can be kept to a minimum.
Driving while intoxicated Dallas is a serious offense that should be handled professionally. If you’re not careful, it could disrupt your life and may attract some outrageous fines. Even if you have never been charged before, a DWI attorney will help you avoid anything that can jeopardize your time on the road.