In a perfect world, nobody would drive drunk. Unfortunately, despite the dangers, many continue to do so.
While many St. Louis residents claim they would never drive drunk, a significant portion do. When they engage in this behavior, they put themselves and everyone else on the road at risk. Consider the following reasons.
Slow Reaction Time
When sober, a quick reaction time can save you from a collision. There are many situations in which this occurs, but the most common is rear-ending a car that stops suddenly. If you are sober and paying attention, you can apply your brakes or make a maneuver to avoid that car. When drunk, you will likely be unable to do so. The reason is that intoxication significantly slows reaction time, so by the time you notice a car stopped in front of you, it will already be too late.
Compromised Coordination
Though driving is second nature to most of us, it is actually a very complicated task. You must comprehend what is happening on all sides of you, then use your hand and foot coordination to move throughout the road safely. When you are drunk, you cannot do this. Instead, you will misjudge distances, move erratically, and act in many more unsafe ways.
Worsened Sight
When you are drunk, your vision blurs. At low levels of intoxication, this effect is minimal. That being said, this is not true when you are moderately or severely drunk. Instead, your vision is significantly compromised, which frequently leads to accidents. Making things worse, the majority of drunk driving happens at night, when visibility is low. These two factors combine to make a drunk driver especially dangerous when it’s dark out.
Poor Judgement
While driving a car, you are constantly making quick judgments about what to do next. That includes changing lanes, what speed to drive at, when to stop or continue at a yellow light, and more. When you are sober, these decisions are relatively straightforward. When you are intoxicated, your ability to make those choices is deeply affected. Instead of making prudent decisions, you are more likely to take dangerous risks.
The Consequences
The first consequence of drunk driving is getting caught by the police. Officers that work in St. Louis are always on the lookout for the tell-tale signs of a drunk driver. Additionally, they set up checkpoints during peak hours. If you are caught driving while intoxicated, you will face massive fines and get a mark on your record. Second, and more importantly, you are putting yourself and others at risk. Despite the relatively small number of drunk drivers on the roads, they account for a significant proportion of total accidents. Additionally, drunk driving collisions often lead to severe injury, which changes the lives of everyone involved.
In a perfect world, nobody would drive drunk. Unfortunately, despite the dangers, many continue to do so. The best way to combat this effect is by making sure you never drive drunk and educating the people around you. If you end up in an accident with a drunk driver, speak with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney for more information about your legal right to compensation.