Drinking and driving is, in fact, deadly, and you have probably already come to this realization on your own. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 300,000 people are caught drinking and driving each day. Quite an alarming statistic! So, how can you avoid a DWI?
However, an arrest does not always mean it’s a person’s first time driving drunk. In fact, a study shows that most drunk drivers get caught after an average of 80 times actually doing it! The repercussions are usually very high, but to avoid a DWI charge altogether is pretty straightforward.
Efforts to Avoid a DWI
If you’re arrested and convicted of drunk driving, it will have a huge impact on your life. Not only is it dangerous and costly, but it is also damaging to one’s image. In addition, these kinds of difficulties may break apart marriages and cost people their jobs. A Fort Worth DWI lawyer advises on a few things that can help people avoid a DWI arrest:
1. Know Your Body and Pace Yourself
For the most part, most people can process roughly one drink each hour. This is the equivalent of 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or one shot of liquor. Heavier individuals and males, in general, have higher metabolic rates. In contrast, thinner individuals and women, in general, have lower metabolic rates.
Tolerance, diet, and other factors complicate the task of figuring out just how much one should not drink. Therefore, following each alcoholic drink with a full pint of water is a good game plan. It will aid in maintaining control over your alcohol intake.
2. Don’t Drink on an Empty Stomach
Scientific studies show the relationship between food and alcohol. They reveal that alcohol is absorbed more slowly when a person is full and has a quick increase in blood alcohol levels when an individual is hungry. Therefore, if you are hungry or thirsty, the alcohol will get absorbed into your system. As a result, you will feel the effects of it much faster and more forcefully.
Consuming a heavy meal before drinking prevents you from becoming intoxicated more rapidly.
3. Pick a Designated Driver
To advise you not to drink, so you don’t get a DWI, is nothing but plain sense. However, it is beneficial to have a designated driver. There are no hidden costs, you may have a few drinks, and you’re protected.
Driving while intoxicated may lead to several complications in daily life. Accidents, regardless of whether you were responsible for causing them, can be even worse, since you may potentially be held liable for causing harm to someone else.
4. Cut off the Alcohol Early
Plan to designate a time to depart, then stop consuming alcohol hours before that. However, keep in mind that alcohol still remains in your system for hours even after you stop drinking. Therefore, counting backward from when you intend to leave is always a good precaution.
The only way to sober up is by waiting for time to take effect. In addition, only your liver can help you do that. Moreover, consider that blood alcohol levels decrease around one drink an hour for every hour of blood alcohol concentration.
5. Avoid Getting Pulled Over
Take care of your vehicle. Because it matters whether the tail light is broken or your license is expired. Technically, avoid any mistake that can make an officer pull you over. Additionally, police officers stop you more readily at night. Still, they are also far more likely to search you and your vehicle if you are stopped.
Follow all traffic laws. Whenever you’re behind the wheel, you should respect rules put in place. Simple errors like forgetting to signal when changing lanes and ignoring the speed limit could be critical. You should generally avoid drawing any officer’s attention to avoid them doing a field sobriety test on you.
Keep Yourself in Check
The pointers above are good DWI-avoidance methods. But really, it’s important to focus on safe driving and avoiding an accident on the way home more than anything. Calling a buddy or getting a cab ride home is the safest bet in the long run.
