Responsible drinking means knowing when to call it quits and when you’ve had too much to drive or make important decisions. Knowing your personal limits and taking the necessary time for your body to metabolize alcohol can help you avoid drunk driving charges in the future.
While you may be proactive about avoiding intoxicated driving by counting your drinks, you could make other mistakes that affect your sobriety. There are two common drinking habits that could potentially lead to you experiencing far more impairment than you anticipate when you get behind the wheel after having a few drinks.
Drinking as quickly as possible
Maybe you agreed to a drinking game with a friend where you see who can finish a large beer first. Perhaps you forgot that you had plans and need to consume your beverage quickly to make it on time.
Unfortunately, drinking alcohol rapidly impacts your body’s ability to digest it and can lead to a more significant sense of impairment than you would feel if you drank the same beverage over the course of half an hour.
Trying a different drink than your usual
If you frequently enjoy IPAs or a glass of red wine when out for the evening, switching over to a mixed drink could be a mistake. Different forms of alcohol affect people differently and trying something you don’t usually enjoy might affect you more than you expect. Choosing the right time and place to experiment or be playful with your alcohol consumption is very important.
Making smart choices about alcohol consumption and vehicle operation will reduce your risks of a drunk driving arrest.