It’s no secret that drinking and driving are a dangerous combination. In fact, drunk driving is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to medische keuringarts in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol resulted in 31 percent of all fatal crashes in 2016. That’s why it’s essential to be aware of the science-backed facts about how alcohol consumption impairs your driving abilities. In this blog post, we will discuss how alcohol can affect your ability to drive safely.

Focus and Concentration

One of the first things that alcohol affects is your ability to focus and concentrate on the task. It can be challenging to pay attention to your surroundings and make split-second decisions when you drink. It can be hazardous when you’re driving, as you need to be able to focus on the road and make quick decisions to avoid accidents.

The NHTSA reports that alcohol-related crashes are more likely to involve drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. At higher BAC levels, your ability to pay attention and make sound judgments is significantly impaired.

Judgment

In one study, researchers found that alcohol consumption can lead to impaired judgment in several different ways. For instance, drinkers are more likely to underestimate their level of intoxication and how impaired they are. They may also be more likely to take risks, such as driving while intoxicated because they believe they are not as impaired. This can lead to dangerous and even fatal accidents. In another study, researchers found that alcohol consumption can lead to changes in how people process information. For instance, drinkers are more likely to focus on single items and have difficulty processing multiple pieces of information.

Vision and Hearing

Another way that alcohol consumption can impair your ability to drive safely is by affecting your vision and hearing. Alcohol can cause blurred or double vision and problems with depth perception. It can also make it challenging to hear horns honking or sirens approaching. These impairments can make it difficult to react quickly and avoid accidents.

The consumption of alcohol can also lead to slower reaction times. In one study, researchers found that drivers who had been drinking were more likely to brake later and take longer to react to traffic lights than sober drivers.

Motoric Coordination

Aside from those points, alcohol consumption can also impair motoric coordination. It means that it can be challenging to control the car, and you may have trouble making quick turns or stopping suddenly. You may also find it challenging to stay in your lane. These impairments can make it dangerous to drive, and they are likely to cause accidents. A study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research found that drivers with a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher were twice as likely to be involved in an accident as sober drivers.

As you can see, there are several ways that alcohol consumption can impair your ability to drive safely. If you’re going to drink, it’s essential to be aware of the risks and have a sober driver. Remember, driving while intoxicated is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, so it’s not worth taking the risk. Stay safe out there.