How Just One Drink Increases Your Car Accident Risks

Most drivers are aware of the dangers involved with driving while intoxicated. What you may not know is that even one or two drinks can make car accidents and injuries more likely to occur. It is important to be aware of the impact even small amounts of alcohol can have on your driving abilities when hanging out with friends or having a glass of wine over dinner at your favorite restaurant.

How Much Is Too Much?

Any amount of alcohol in your system puts you and other motorists in danger and can result in a DUI charge in Illinois, even if you are not over the legal limit. CyberDrive Illinois, a program of the Secretary of State’s office, advises that while the legal blood alcohol limit (BAC) is .08 percent, drivers can be charged at lower percentages, particularly if there are other signs the driver is impaired. While the impact of alcohol varies depend on your height and weight, even as few as one or two drinks can result in fines and penalties, in addition to making you liable in the event a car accident does occur.

The Impact of ‘Just a Couple Drinks”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that alcohol reduces muscle coordination and your ability to think, react, and make sound decisions, all of which are required to operate a motor vehicle. Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream after it passes through the walls of the stomach and intestine. Your BAC level is the amount of alcohol per volume of blood. Depending on the amount you drink, the NHTSA states that you are likely to experience the following:

• At .02 BAC, which is the equivalent of one or two drinks, your vision is somewhat impaired and you will likely have problems doing two tasks at once, such as steering and applying the brakes;
• At .05 BAC, which is the equivalent of three or four drinks, you lack coordination, have difficulty tracking moving objects, and a reduced ability to respond to emergency situations;
• At .08 BAC, which is four or more drinks, you are over the legal limit. Muscle coordination is poor, you will have difficulty steering and may experience short term memory loss. At this rate, you are five times more likely to be involved in a car accident

Let Us Help You Today

If you have been injured as the result of a drunk driver, reach out and contact our Will County car accident attorneys. At Sabuco, Beck, Hansen, Massino & Pollack, P.C. we can advise you on how to hold these drivers accountable, so you can get compensation for the injuries you suffer.