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Home / Street Talk / Alcohol Impaired Driving – What Are the Signs and What’s In a Drink?

Alcohol Impaired Driving – What Are the Signs and What’s In a Drink?

April 7, 2017

Alcohol has a significant effect on driving skills due to its depressant effects. While under the influence of alcohol, drivers can misjudge their capabilities and experience the following:

  • Decreased reaction time due to slower reflexes
  • Feelings of drowsiness
  • Poor coordination affecting the mechanics of driving (steering, working, braking, etc.)
  • Inattention to driving tasks
  • Decreased rational decision making
  • Depressed eye movement and perception affecting night vision and color perception
  • Inability to judge car’s potion on the road, road signs and location of other vehicles
(Taibbi, R. How Alcohol Affects You. Current Health, Vol. 2, p. 16-19 (1994).)

People are often confused about the amount of alcohol contained in a drink. Many types of beers come in containers larger than the standard 12 ounces and other drinks, such as margaritas, have more alcohol than what is considered a standard drink. Remember, in Texas, the legal limit is .08, but driving ability can be impaired below the legal limit.

 

Filed Under: Street Talk

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