Why Driving While Buzzed Is Never A Good Idea
When you've been out to dinner with friends, you may have had a couple of glasses of wine or a beer. You probably aren't over the legal blood alcohol level, but you have a happy glow or are buzzed. You may think there is nothing wrong with driving buzzed; after all, you really aren't drunk, you are just happy and relaxed. However, the problem is that driving buzzed can be a problem. It can cause you to have many of the same problems as driving over the legal limit can.
Driving While Buzzed Definition
In all the states in the US, the legal BAC is anything under .08. Buzzed driving is considered anything under that limit, usually between .01 and .07. However, that doesn't mean that you are still safe to drive. That's because you are going to be looking at the same problems with driving.
Driving While Buzzed: Problems
One of the biggest problems is that your reflexes are going to be slowed. That means that you aren't going to be able to react to sudden changes as quickly. If the driver in front of you brakes quickly, you won't be able to get your car stopped as quickly, and may hit them.
You may also not be able to react to steering as quickly. For example, if your car drifts out of your lane, your reflex is to correct it, but if your reflexes are impaired, even a little bit, you may end up overcorrecting.
Another problem is that your judgement is going to be impaired. It doesn't even have to be hugely impaired, but even a small change in your thinking can end up with you taking risks that you wouldn't otherwise take, including speeding, changing lanes recklessly, or even racing with other cars.
Driving While Buzzed: Solutions
There are some solutions that you can use to driving while buzzed. The easiest one is to make sure that you always have a designated driver. You may think that person isn't going to enjoy themselves as much since they can't drink; however, they are still going to get the companionship, and will make sure everyone gets home safely.
Another option, if everyone wants to have a drink or two, is to take alternate transportation. You can take a cab to the location and let someone else do all the driving from the very beginning.
You may think that you are OK to drive after only a drink or two, but the fact is that driving with any alcohol in your system, even if you are under the legal limit, isn't safe.
If you end up facing legal issues because of buzzed or drunk driving, contact a law firm like The Walker Firm for help.