Driving under the influence can result in serious consequences Published April 27, 2007 Courtesy of Hurlburt Field ADAPT HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- In the United States, alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and non-fatally injure someone every two minutes. During 2005 and 2006, more than 34,000 people in the U.S. died in alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes, representing 40 percent of all traffic-related deaths. What makes a person get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated, and just what is intoxicated? In the state of Florida, the legal blood alcohol limit for a person operating a motor vehicle is 0.08 percent blood alcohol content. These are the possible consequences when someone is arrested and convicted of DUI: - A night in jail - Stiff fines - Loss of state driver's license - Loss of base driving privilege - Increased insurance rates - Legal fees - UCMJ punishment if military - The shame and embarrassment that comes with a DUI arrest Killing or injuring someone else while driving under the influence carries even harsher penalties including felony conviction, jail sentence, stiffer fines and life-long guilt. So again, what makes a person get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated? One reason is that it takes much less alcohol to be legally intoxicated than most people realize. The rate at which a person reaches the legal limit is affected by many factors. These include the amount of alcohol in a given drink, what the alcohol is mixed with, the rate of drinking, gender, body weight, what is eaten or drank before and/or during alcohol consumption and liver function. Most of us have heard the "one drink per hour" rule as a guide to responsible drinking when planning to drive home. This "rule" has some inherent problems because it generalizes that everybody responds the same to alcohol. They don't. The human liver can metabolize only a certain amount of alcohol each hour - about one-half ounce or less of pure alcohol. A four-ounce glass of wine, twelve ounces of beer and one ounce of distilled spirits each contain about one-half ounce of pure alcohol. Some mixed drinks are made up of mostly alcohol and contain well more than the average one-half ounce of pure alcohol. Alcohol mixed with plain water slows the absorption rate by decreasing the concentration of alcohol. Conversely, alcohol mixed with carbonated liquids speeds up the absorption rate. The carbon dioxide moves the alcohol more rapidly through the stomach to the small intestine, where the alcohol is absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream. Alcoholic beverages contain Ethyl alcohol which is a central nervous system depressant. Alcohol impairs many functions of the brain including judgment, inhibition, peripheral vision, reflexes and reaction time. The first two brain functions, judgment and inhibition, affect our decision-making ability. Degraded by alcohol, a person will say and do things they wouldn't do while sober. Also, a person's concept of time may be altered which can influence the amount they "think" they have consumed and over what time period. When alcohol lowers the other three brain functions, it degrades the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. That one little second might not seem like much, but factor that into the equation when the impaired driver is driving 45 mph or faster, and someone pulls in front of them. Tolerance to alcohol can play an important role as well. A person who has developed a tolerance to alcohol requires larger amounts before they feel its effects. This can lead them into a false sense of security because they don't feel intoxicated when they really are. More importantly, even though a high-tolerance drinker feels the effects of alcohol less than a low-tolerance drinker does, their reaction time will be slowed just as much. Bottom line - we know that even small amounts of alcohol, as well as other drugs not mentioned here, affect driving ability. It is a mistake to assume that a driver with a BAC of less than 0.08 percent is not intoxicated, not impaired and not under the influence. Following these easy steps, a driver can enjoy a safe and fun time without jeopardizing their life and the lives of the others who may be on the road: - Plan a safe way home before the activities begin - Before drinking, designate a sober driver - If impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation - If a drunk driver is on the road, don't hesitate to contact local law enforcement - And remember, if someone is about to drive while impaired or ride with an impaired driver, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to safely get to where they are going It's been said before, but it's still true - If you drink don't drive, and if you drive don't drink. Is one drink really worth all the potential negative consequences?