It’s important to learn as many things as possible about DUIs to avoid them or know what is going to happen when you are charged with one.
Drunk driving is still a real thing. Despite the clear instructions and the strict laws surrounding DUI charges, people still think that getting behind the wheel when intoxicated is a good idea. Unfortunately, drunk driving is very dangerous and often leads to people getting injured or even dying.
It’s important to understand DUI cases as well as possible, especially when you are the culprit in one. Below, you will find a list of things you probably weren’t aware of when it came to DUIs.
- You Don’t Need Too Many Alcoholic Drinks to Surpass the Maximum BAC Level
You’d think that in order to surpass the .08 BAC maximum level for driving you’d need to have many drinks. It’s hard to believe that having your typical 3 beers on a Friday evening can make you reach that level, but it can happen.
Men and women get drunk in different ways. According to studies, a male that weighs 170 pounds needs only 3-4 normal-sized beers over the course of three hours to become intoxicated. Meanwhile, an average-sized woman only needs 1-3 drinks to get intoxicated during the same amount of time.
Not to mention, “one drink” doesn’t always have a literal meaning. You may have a mixed drink when you go out, and this typically includes a mix of different shots of alcohol. This alone can make you get drunk.
- You May Not Get Arrested Immediately, But It Will Happen
Many drunk drivers think that being able to get away with it once or twice means they will always be lucky. But that is not the case. Statistics show that intoxicated drivers will drive 80 times under the influence of alcohol on average before they get arrested for the first time.
- Too Many People Get Injured in Drunk Driving Accidents
The reason why drunk driving is illegal is simple: it can lead to injuries and death. In fact, you’d be surprised to learn how many people get injured in accidents involving drunk drivers.
According to statistics, there is one individual injured in an accident caused by a drunk driver every 120 seconds.
- California Doesn’t Allow Any Alcohol in Your Blood System when Driving if You’re Under 21
California has a No Tolerance policy for drivers who did not reach 21 years of age. Basically, drivers should not get behind the wheel if they had a drink and they are not of legal drinking age.
When you are under 21, the blood alcohol level when you are pulled over should be 0.00. If you are older than 21, the BAC allowed is .08 for DUIs.
- Many Deaths Occur when Blood Alcohol Levels Exceed the Legal Limit
Statistics show that a large number of deaths related to drunk driving happen when the driver’s BAC level is above the 0.8 limit. In fact, back in 2013, 68% of the deaths occurring in drunk driving accidents involved at least one driver with a BAC of 0.15% or more.
- 2 Out of 3 People Will Be Involved in Drunk Driving Accidents
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, 2 out of 3 people will end up being involved in a car crash caused by drunk drivers.
- Many Arrested for DUIs Are Not at Their First Offense
You’d think that once someone gets caught for doing the wrong thing, they will stop, especially if they are fined and serve jail time too. So, when a drunk driver is charged, they are expected to stop.
But many times, that is not the case. Around one-third of individuals convicted of a DUI are repeat offenders. This happens for many reasons. The drunk drivers either don’t care about the consequences, or the fines and jail time for a first-time conviction are just not harsh enough.
As someone keeps getting more DUI convictions, the penalties become worse as well.
- Every 51 Minutes, Someone Dies Due to Drunk Driving in America
The laws may punish those who drunk drive, but it doesn’t stop all American drivers. Actually, every 51 minutes, someone dies in America due to a DUI case. So, this is around 27 people daily.
- Children Who Drink Alcohol Early Are More Likely to Participate in Drunk Driving Accidents
A child’s brain is still developing, and having alcohol too soon can influence this process. Early access to alcohol can have an influence on the child, making them more likely to develop addiction issues later on.
As such, children and teenagers who drink are seven times more likely to participate in alcohol-related car accidents.
- 10.17% of Deaths Among Young Children in 2010 Were Related to Drunk Driving
Drunk driving can unfortunately change or end the life of children as well. Back in 2010, 17% of deaths among children of 14 years-old or younger happened in cases where drunk drivers were involved.
- The Type of Alcohol You Consume Doesn’t Matter
When you get drunk and decide to drive, what type of alcohol you consumed is irrelevant. Even if you went with beer instead of something like vodka or whiskey, it will not matter. What matters is how much you had to drink within a specific time period.
There is also something else to keep in mind. Regardless of the type of alcohol you’ve had, things like drinking water or coffee will not help you get sober.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to learn as many things as possible about DUIs to avoid them or know what is going to happen when you are charged with one. Colorado is a state with very high DUI rates, respectively 88%. In 2019, there were 163 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in Colorado, with 16 of them involving people under 21. If you are ever involved in a DUI in Colorado and want to defend yourself, seeking Denver DUI lawyers is the best thing to do.
Driving while sober should be the only thing you do. Make sure to never get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, regardless of the number of drinks or the type of drink you’ve had.
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