Automobile accidents are sometimes unavoidable, but other times they are preventable. In 2015 there were more than 32,166 fatal crashes in the U.S. Of those crashes 50% of the deaths involved adults between 18 and 44 and motorcyclists accounted for about 15% of the deaths. Drunk driving accidents are one of those that are preventable and one of the most needless accidents, and the ones that require a personal injury attorney from a personal injury law firm. Read some interesting facts about blood alcohol content below.
.02 BAC
At this blood alcohol level an individual can expect minimal bodily changes, but changes nonetheless. These changes include warmer body temperature, slightly impaired judgement, mood changes and relaxation of the body. This can make it somewhat impossible to perform more than one task at a time, however many know what driving involves multiple tasks at one time. This is why even a low BAC can have negative impacts on drivers.
.05 BAC
Individuals with this much alcohol in their body experience some loss of muscle control especially the eyes. Individuals with this much alcohol in their system may notice they are not quite as alert as they should be. Coordination becomes more difficult and steering can become challenging. Responses to certain situations will become delayed which can easily lead to motor vehicle accidents or truck accidents.
.08 BAC
This is when an individual is considered to be drunk driving. All 50 states have designated this as the limit for alcohol. Individuals with this much alcohol in their blood experience poor muscle coordination. Speech, balance and hearing will become difficult. Memory is impaired as well as judgement and self control, which leads to more risky actions. Drivers experience difficulty controlling speed as well as perception impairments. It may become difficult to process and react to signal detection, such as a green light turning yellow or a yellow light turning red.
.10 BAC
At this point an individual clearly has slurred speech and major difficulty balancing as coordination is poor along with thinking. Driving with this BAC leads to problems staying within your lane. Crossing dividing lines becomes evident with this much alcohol in your system. Braking becomes more difficult since reaction times are seriously impaired.
.15 BAC
This much alcohol leads to loss of muscle control. An individual may have a hard time holding their head still and their eyes can not stay focused. This much alcohol typically leads to vomiting unless the individual has a tolerance for alcohol. This leads to substantial problems controlling a vehicle. Processing visually becomes almost impossible leading to problems handling normal driving tasks. Driving with this much alcohol in your system is not only illegal and considered drunk driving, but you are also 380 times more likely to be involved in an accident than if you were to drive sober.
Other Amounts
While these decimal amounts are important, you should note that your BAC can be lower than all of these and you could still be charged with drunk driving. If you have any alcohol at all in your system and you are pulled over for dangerous driving, you can still be charged. This is just another reason why it is always best to find another driver if you plan on drinking at all.
Drinks
It is also important to remember that not all drinks are created equal. Some drinks contain more alcohol than others. You may only have a few drinks yet your BAC could be incredibly high because of the amount of alcohol in the drinks. This can be misleading to a group of people having many different types of drinks, because a couple individuals could become intoxicated much faster than others simply because of the types of drinks they have.
The important thing to remember is that drunk driving is avoidable. Pick a sober friend who has not been drinking to drive, and never ride with someone who has been drinking. This can not only save your life, but the lives of others as well.
