When people have been socially drinking and entertain the thought of driving home on their own, they are mistakengly making a decision that could ultimately put themselves, their passengers and all other motorists around them at extreme risk. While driving under the influence has legal consequences in New Jersey, it can also create major hazards when impairment affects a person’s ability to make responsible decisions.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, people who consume alcoholic beverages in large quantities are prone to suffering memory loss. This impairment can lead to confusion, ignorance and irrationality. When people drink on an empty stomach or when they gulp their drinks, they are even more likely to suffer memory loss because their blood alcohol content levels skyrocket at much faster speeds.
Research shared by verywellmind.com suggests that people who have been drinking are much more likely to be involved in a serious or fatal car accident than people who are sober. To be exact, they are 1.4 times more likely. If people plan to attend a party where alcohol will be served, they should arrange ahead of time for someone to give them a ride home from the venue. This recommendation is extended to those who plan to attend parties on a boat; there should always be someone who is designated as the “driver” who can safely and legally get everyone home. Despite the fact that many people believe impairment does not happen until BAC levels reach 0.08, studies have proven that lapses in judgment can happen as early as 0.02 BAC levels.
