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Effects of Alcohol on Drivers

Thursday, November 1, 2018

The effects that even a couple drinks can have on a driver can be devastating. With as little as two drinks drivers can start to experience loss of judgment. Below is a chart from the CDC which shows the effects alcohol can have on drivers.

If you ever find yourself in an accident with someone who was driving impaired it is important to contact an attorney so you know your rights. Our law firm has experience handling these types of claims and would be happy to sit down with you so you are aware of your rights.

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)* Typical Effects Predictable Effects on Driving

.02% About 2 alcoholic drinks**	Some loss of judgment Relaxation Slight body warmth Altered mood	Decline in visual functions (rapid tracking of a moving target) Decline in ability to perform two tasks at the same time (divided attention)
.05% About 3 alcoholic drinks**	Exaggerated behavior May have loss of small-muscle control (e.g., focusing your eyes) Impaired judgment Usually good feeling Lowered alertness Release of inhibition	Reduced coordination Reduced ability to track moving objects Difficulty steering Reduced response to emergency driving situations
.08% About 4 alcoholic drinks**	Muscle coordination becomes poor (e.g., balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing) Harder to detect danger Judgment, self-control, reasoning, and memory are impaired	Concentration Short-term memory loss Speed control Reduced information processing capability (e.g., signal detection, visual search) Impaired perception
.10% About 5 alcoholic drinks**	Clear deterioration of reaction time and control Slurred speech, poor coordination, and slowed thinking	Reduced ability to maintain lane position and brake appropriately
.15% About 7 alcoholic drinks**	Far less muscle control than normal Vomiting may occur (unless this level is reached slowly or a person has developed a tolerance for alcohol) Major loss of balance	Substantial impairment in vehicle control, attention to driving task, and in necessary visual and auditory information processing

*Blood Alcohol Concentration Measurement

The number of drinks listed represents the approximate amount of alcohol that a 160-pound man would need to drink in one hour to reach the listed BAC in each category.

**A Standard Drink Size in the United States

A standard drink is equal to 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in

12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content)
8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content)
5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content)
1.5-ounces or a “shot” of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey)

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