You may think nothing of having a drink at happy hour before your commute home from work or having a drink or two at a party and then driving home. However, drunk driving accidents are a serious issue in Maryland and the DC area. And it is easy to underestimate just how little alcohol it takes to impair your ability to drive.
Driving with a BAC of 0.05%
We know that if your blood-alcohol concentration is above the legal limit of 0.08%, we will generally be too impaired to drive safely and could cause an accident. However, what if you have only had two or three drinks and your BAC is 0.05%? How does this affect your driving abilities?
If a motorist has a BAC of 0.05%, they may find hand-eye coordination is reduced, as is their ability to track moving objects. Manipulating the steering wheel may become more difficult. In addition, their ability to respond to sudden, unexpected driving situations is reduced. In short, having a BAC of 0.05% can affect your duty of care to drive safely, and could easily lead to a car crash.
Driving with a BAC of 0.02%
However, what if you only had one drink, and your BAC is a mere 0.02%. Is this dangerous? Yes, it is.
A driver with a BAC of 0.02% could find it more difficult to track moving objects. They may also find it difficult to divide their attention between two different tasks. These are essential abilities to retain while driving. If they are impaired, it could easily lead to an auto accident.
Ultimately, it is not safe to drink and drive
In the end, drunk driving accidents can happen even if a motorist’s BAC is below the legal limit. Drunk driving breaches a motorist’s duty of care. If this breach leads to a motor vehicle accident that injures or kills another person, the drunk driver may be held responsible for the damages they caused.