HEALTH & BEAUTY, LEGAL

Driving 101: Can You Drive After One Beer?

Did you know that 29 people die every day in the United States in motor vehicle crashes that involve a driver that is impaired by alcohol? We all learn from a young age that the combination of drinking and driving is not a good one. But, some people grow up and wonder “can you drive after one beer?”

We have put together this article to share why even after having one beer you should hang up your keys and allow your body to metabolize the alcohol before you decide to drive.

Can You Drive After One Beer?

The simple answer is – no if you had a full beer and not just a tiny sip to taste.

Having just one drink or one beer is enough to impair your driving ability. For example, it can affect your ability to judge distances, and your ability to see moving lights. Once you have a beer the alcohol content in it will hit your brain within minutes of you consuming the alcohol. 

Once the alcohol reaches your brain, its activity begins to slow down and all of the information from your eyes takes longer to reach your brain. This means that if you get behind the wheel of a car you will begin to only focus on one thing at a time and might not notice something important happening in your peripheral view. 

Legal Limits

Every country and even state in the U.S. has its own legal alcohol limits if you are wondering “is DUI a misdemeanor?”

There are some places where you can be significantly impaired but you will still fall under their legal limit. For example, if you are in an area that the BAC limit is 0.02% you can still experience a loss in judgment and you won’t be able to carry out two functions at once. 

Some countries have higher limits like 0.05% where your steering will become even more difficult and your coordination will be worst. So, you might not get in trouble for a beer but your driving will be impaired.

Be Cautious

Even though you might possibly not reach the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels where you live, it is best to err on the side of caution. When you first receive your license you commit to driving responsibly. When you choose to get behind the wheel you are not only putting your own life at risk you are putting others’ lives in your hands that you are sharing the road with. 

If you are not sure if the beer you had was enough to reach the BAC limits then – don’t drive. 

Time to Drive Responsibly

We hope that you are now feeling confident about the answer to the question “can you drive after one beer?” With so many factors affecting whether or not you can legally drive a vehicle after one beer, it is best to wait or just not drink at all. If you ever find yourself in legal trouble about this matter make sure to contact a DUI lawyer with experience.

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