This Is How Alcohol Could Impair Your Driving Skills

Alcoholism is one of the alarming kinds of addiction and medical condition in many parts of the world, not excluding Dubai. According to studies done by different non-government organizations and government bodies, every year, thousands of people get killed or injured as a result of alcoholism. Some of the more common incidences associated with alcohol drinking include traffic accidents and violence.

Many adults love to drink alcohol during parties, social meetings, events and occasions, or just any ordinary day. Because of this, it is not surprising that many accidents that happen in the country are associated with drunk driving. If you don’t want an untimely visit to the hospital and a car servicing in Dubai, then by all means, don’t drink and drive!

Consuming excessive amount of alcohol is likewise dangerous to your health. There are many known diseases and medical conditions associated with binge drinking. A heavy alcohol drinker is prone to contracting the following serious medical conditions:

  • High blood pressure
  • Stroke
  • Fatty liver
  • Alcoholic hepatitis
  • Fibrosis
  • Cirrhosis
  • Steatosis
  • Mouth cancer
  • Esophagus cancer
  • Throat cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Breast cancer

Heavy alcohol drinkers are not only at risk of contracting said diseases but also to accidents. People who operate their vehicle while under the influence of alcohol are at great risk of getting involved in a serious car accident. When an alcohol-related car accident happens, not only the intoxicated driver is at risk of sustaining life-threatening injuries but the other innocent drivers who are involved in the incident.

Alcohol consumption is proven to impair the driving performance of motorists. Because alcohol is a depressant, it affects the judgment abilities of a driver. Some of the effects of liquor to driving skills of an individual may include:

  • Impaired reaction time – Alcohol may decrease the ability of a driver to react quickly to traffic situations.
  • Loss of concentration – Alcohol consumption may result in decreased focus to the road and even drowsiness.
  • Lack of comprehension – The depressant effect of liquor may jeopardize the ability of a motorist to make reasonable decisions.

Below are the apparent effects of alcohol corresponding each BAC level.

BAC level of .06 to .10  – driver may feel changes in his or her body reflexes, reasoning, depth perception, distance viewing, and peripheral perception. Motorists who have .08 BAC level are 11 times more likely to get involved in a car accident than sober drivers.

BAC level of .11 to .20 – the motorist may appear to be very drunk and changes in behavior like aggression are apparent with this level of BAC. The driver may feel mental and physical impairments like slow reaction time, loss of motor control, and slurred speech.

BAC level of .20 or higher – with this BAC level, the driver may totally lose all reasonable judgment skills and motor function.

In order to prevent traffic accidents caused by intoxicated drivers some companies are investing on gadgets to monitor their employees, making sure that they do not get behind the wheels while under the under influence of alcohol. Certain companies equip their company or fleet vehicles with GPS vehicle tracking. This device can help company owners and supervisors monitor the driving behavior of drivers. GPS vehicle tracking has become a common device for many fleet companies as it helps owners make sure that their employees will not be involved in traffic accidents.

If you own a car in Dubai, the best thing to avoid getting involved in an accident is to never get behind the wheel if you’ve had a drink or two. It’s better safe than sorry – keep that in mind. While you can easily have your ride repaired by a car servicing in Dubai, don’t be too confident because aside from sustaining injuries, you may face stiff penalties that will put in you legal troubles. Do the right thing: don’t drive while intoxicated.