The Science Behind Drunk Driving

We all know the difference between right and wrong, but sometimes we stretch the limits just a bit because some wrongs don't seem like they're all that wrong. We probably shouldn't have that extra cookie after dinner but it won't really hurt us that much. Or not coming to a "complete stop" at a stop sign when it's midnight and there's no other traffic around.  Even driving 60 mph on the highway in a 55 mph zone is technically wrong but we probably won't get a ticket for doing it. Besides, everyone else is going even faster.

Other things though, are definitely wrong, and we know they're wrong while we're doing them. Drunk driving is one of those wrongs that plenty of people do, and most of the time nobody gets hurt, and they get away with it. But the margin for error is so small, and the consequences of getting a ticket or hurting somebody make it something that needs to be addressed by everyone. Permanently.

Over the years, the national DUI limit has dropped down to .08 percent Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) for every state in America. That's not very much for most people, and it only suggests the agreed upon level for being legally drunk. Impairment starts at half that point when the BAC is at .04%.

The infographic below titled, "The Scientific Effects of Drunk Driving," was created by Total DUI and contains some enlightening information about drinking and driving. You can see a larger version here.

As you can see from the image, while most people might think they're perfectly fine to drive after one or two drinks, many factors determine how alcohol affects the brain, including age, health, and how much and how long the person has been drinking before driving.

As mentioned before, impairment occurs before a person is legally drunk, and even minor impairment causes a person to have poor reflexes and coordination, as well as muscle control and driving skills. Is it really that necessary to drive when vision and brain function are impaired? It isn't when other lives are at stake.

Many people are actually quite responsible when it comes to drinking and driving. Even so, it only takes one time to slip for a catastrophe to happen. Nobody that is ever responsible for a DUI accident intends for it to happen, and every one of them would take it back if they could. But there's simply no way take back something that has already happened.

Prevention is the best policy and we need a nationwide revolution to take place where everyone who drives, agrees that driving while intoxicated is the one thing that none of us will ever do. Some of us may be tired of hearing this message, but others still haven't heard it. And until that day comes where everyone stops driving drunk, we hope to see more infographics like this one published and shared everywhere.