Why Is Drinking And Driving So Dangerous?
Drinking alcohol and driving is a major cause of serious collisions. In 2010, alcohol was found to be the main cause of 37% of all fatal crashes in Texas.
You lose your judgment when you drink or use drugs. It is often the first thing about you that changes. Loss of judgment, or good sense, affects how you react to sounds, what you see, and the speed of other vehicles around you.
Good judgment may be as simple as saying, "No!" to a friend who wants to try racing your new car on a country road. However, if you have been drinking or are under the influence of drugs, your good judgment may turn into, "Sure go ahead, take my car". Your ability to reason with your friend has all but disappeared. Do not give in.
What Is The Limit?
Some myths about drinking alcohol say that taking cold showers, drinking black coffee, or exercising will sober a person up. This is not true. Only time, body weight, the number of drinks, and how much has been eaten, can affect how long it takes anyone to "sober up". It takes about one hour for the body to get rid of each "drink". If a person has had more than one drink an hour, one hour of "sobering up" time should be allowed for each extra drink. Better still, someone who has not been drinking should drive.