How Does Alcohol Impair Driving?

On average, 28 Americans die in car accidents that involve an impaired motorist every single day. Despite the potentially fatal consequences of drinking and driving, millions of people all over the country do so on a regular basis. In fact, getting behind the wheel while impaired is so prevalent that the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports two out of three people will be involved in a drunk driving collision at some point in their lifetime.

Drinking and driving is so dangerous—and so likely to result in a wreck—because of the effects that alcohol has on the body. These include:

• Reduced concentration;
• Slowed reaction time;
• Poor coordination;
• Blurred vision; and
• Impaired judgment.

If you were hurt in a drunk driving collision, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, and non-economic damages. To determine if you have grounds for a claim, turn to the Cooper Law Firm.

After evaluating your case, Attorney N. Eric Cooper will gather evidence, interview witnesses, track damages, and negotiate with the insurance adjuster on your behalf. Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free consultation with an accident lawyer in Texas.

Read on to learn about the various ways alcohol impairs driving skills:

Reduced Concentration

Even when traveling along a route you know well, driving is mentally taxing. You must monitor more than a dozen different elements at any given moment, from speed to stopping distance to potential hazards on both sides.

With every alcoholic beverage that you consume, though, your attention span reduces significantly. When driving through traffic, this lack of focus can have catastrophic consequences.

Slowed Reaction Time

Alcohol acts as a depressant on the central nervous system (CNS), which essentially means the cells in your brain stop functioning at optimum capacity. According to ScienceNetLinks, this can result in:

• Slowed reaction time;
• Foggy memory;
• Dulled hearing;
• Slurred speech; and
• Hazy thinking.

Poor Coordination

Alcoholic beverages inhibit motor skills, which is why law enforcement personnel rely on field sobriety tests to identify drunk drivers. Poor coordination and balance can make it challenging to walk out to your vehicle, let alone operate it in moving traffic.

Blurred Vision

Vision impairment is a side effect of a depressed CNS. With every drink, your peripheral vision shrinks, eventually resulting in tunnel vision, and you lose the ability to judge depth perception and distance accurately.

Impaired Judgment

Alcohol reduces inhibitions in general, which can be incredibly dangerous when behind the wheel because operating a vehicle in traffic requires a lot of snap decisions. When you are impaired, you are more likely to make the wrong decision, like running a yellow light instead of decelerating and waiting for the green.

When you study the effects of alcohol on the body, it become glaringly apparent why drinking and driving is so dangerous. Unfortunately, that does not deter everyone from doing so.

If you sustained injuries in a crash with an impaired motorist, contact the Cooper Law Firm today. Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free case evaluation with an accident attorney in Texas. You can learn more about drunk driving collision claims in Texas by visiting the USAttorneys website.