One of the most important things to know as a driver is to avoid alcohol when you are planning to drive. As an experienced or confident driver, you may think it’s not a big deal, especially when you’ve only had a glass or two. It may seem like a big deal to avoid drinking completely when you believe your driving isn’t impaired at all. Sadly, that’s not the case at all.
Reasons To Avoid Drink Driving
The deadly statistics from drunk driving is enough to put anyone off drinking altogether. If that still isn’t a compelling enough reason, here are 6 more.
1. Punishment
If you are caught driving over the drink limit, you will be punished. The penalties for doing so are serious and will range depending on where you are located. It’s very likely that you may lose your driving license, which is never a risk you want to take.
Punishment could mean time in prison, an unlimited fine, or a driving ban. All of these can be extremely difficult to deal with and will affect your life in a massive way. This is something to bear in mind when you are considering winging it “because it’s only a 10-minute drive”. The reality of being caught driving drunk is very arduous and not something anyone needs to go through.
2. Consequences
As well as the consequences for yourself, consider the consequences for others if something happens while you are driving under the influence. If you happen to injure or kill another person, this can destroy not just your life but their life, as well as their families.
The devastating impact of these situations affects many people and avoiding drunk driving can save you from anything like this happening. Something you might consider harmless or not a big deal could destroy so many lives and families.
Drunk driving can even result in your death. Reflect on and consider the effect this will have on your loved ones. It is sometimes necessary to remember these sobering realities to avoid causing irreversible damage.
3. Criminal Record
As well as causing harm or death, if you are caught and have to face a penalty. This could mean losing your job affecting your and your family’s financial security. Especially as it can be difficult to travel to some countries or get another job with a criminal record.
You may well have an amazing and thriving career that could be shot to pieces in a heartbeat. Based on a split-second decision of forced confidence. Ruining your own future is never worth it.
You may even cause serious damage to property, which could mean paying out a considerable amount of money. Not to mention that your insurance premiums will very likely increase. Your insurance is largely based on how risky you are as a driver, if you are caught driving under the influence, this could skyrocket your premiums.
4. One Is Never Okay
Even if you’ve only consumed one drink, it’s still not okay to drive. Any amount of alcohol affects our brain and slows down our processing and reaction time. This increases the chances of a crash. The insurance providers at insurancenavy.com/dui-consequences list symptoms of being too intoxicated to drive including slurring of speech, confusion, delayed reaction, and excessive tiredness. Even if you don’t exhibit these symptoms or other symptoms of being drunk, you still need to avoid driving.
5. Morning After
This could be something you easily miss, but driving on a hangover is still not okay. This is because there is still alcohol in your blood. Even after a cold shower and a coffee, it’s still there coursing through your veins.
Because of this, avoid driving the next morning no matter how okay you feel. That hangover feeling is telling you that you need to rest, take it as yours and catch a cab or a lift if you really need to go.
6. Set An Example
Carrying out risky behaviour sets a terrible precedent for others. Your siblings, cousins, or friends may witness you drunk driving and think that it’s no big deal. Your behaviour will begin to normalize it and they may begin to do it too, shrugging it off as no big deal.
If something happens to them or others as a result of this, this can destroy you. Not only this but you may have to deal with the loss or severe injury of a loved one. Even a minor accident can cause you extreme distress as they very likely narrowly missed a much bigger accident.
Keep yourself and others safe by avoiding alcohol at all costs when driving, or arrange for a cab or a lift when you are drinking. It may take a little longer and a hassle to work out logistics and so on, but it’s worth it to keep you safe. There are more reasons than those listed to avoid driving while drinking, but even just these should be enough to keep you from making a mistake that could destroy lives.