Many people wonder how many drinks they can have and still drive without being intoxicated. Unfortunately, taking chances with even a little alcohol in your system could still result in an auto crash.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration points out that in 2021, drivers with blood alcohol content levels from .01 to .07 became involved in accidents that killed 2,226 people. Here is a look at how buzzed driving could affect your driving ability at different BAC levels.
Driving at 0.03
A BAC level of 0.03 puts you in a slightly buzzed state. While you may feel in control of your actions, the alcohol in your system will still dull your judgment. At this level, you could also experience problems with your vision. This can be especially dangerous if you drive at night.
Even if you think you are alert enough to drive, you could still have problems multitasking. If you need to perform two actions at the same moment, you may not be able to do them as quickly, which could be a problem if you need to act fast during driving.
Driving at 0.05
At this level, you are less alert to your surroundings. You may react more slowly when new events happen on the road. This BAC level also impacts your motor functions. Steering your vehicle, spotting movement and reaction time can all suffer. You also might feel less of a desire to be cautious, which could result in reckless driving behavior.
By 0.08, you hit the legal limit to be drunk. Still, even driving with a BAC level below 0.08 can be dangerous. Observing safe driving practices could help ensure you do not incur responsibility if another driver collides with you.