A person who has been drinking may consider operating their vehicle because they believe they are still capable of driving safely. However, alcohol is a kind of depressant drug that affects the central nervous system, especially the brain. This means that alcohol intoxication can affect a person’s view and experience of reality. In fact, they will not be able to act and respond to things accordingly. Finally, drunk people do not know how much their driving ability has been affected.
A drunk driver will not be able to accurately judge the speeds and distance of other vehicles, and will not be able to respond to potential hazards or changes in traffic situations. The ability to multitask is also reduced. For example, a drunk driver may not be able to stop immediately when a pedestrian suddenly crosses the street.
slow reaction time: Drivers should understand that even small amounts of alcohol will affect your body and your ability to drive. They may find it difficult to react immediately when something unexpected happens. This is due to the fact that it will take longer for the brain to receive and process messages from other parts of the body. The process of digesting the information becomes much more difficult, and the instructions sent to the muscles will be delayed. Alcohol intoxication can slow down your reaction time by 10-30%.
inadequate muscle function: As mentioned above, alcohol affects the central nervous system and the brain. This leads to loss of coordination and control of muscle movements. Thus, it makes it more difficult to operate a moving vehicle.
Vision and hearing problems: The common mistake of drivers who get behind the wheel despite being drunk is to assume that they can drive safely if they just focus on the road. However, drunk drivers often focus on what is in front of them and forget to look at what is happening in their side vision. In addition, alcohol also reduces the driver’s ability to see things from a distance. Your night vision will be reduced by 25%. Drunk drivers may also experience blurred or double vision.
Impaired judgment or reasoning: Alcohol intoxication will also affect the rational part of your brain that handles proper judgment and reasoning. This means that the driver’s ability to judge right from wrong, good from bad, will be greatly affected.
Tips to avoid drunk driving
- Watch how much you drink.
- Eat before you drink. If you have a full stomach, your body will absorb alcohol more slowly.
- If possible, don’t drive when you’ve had a few drinks. If you plan to drink, please assign a designated driver or leave your car at home.
- Take a taxi or take the bus home if you’re drunk. You can also sleep at your friend’s house.