Drink and drive: Five compelling reasons why it is bad for you 30^th September 2021

Only because you made it home “safely” does not make drunk driving a good choice. People usually tend to neglect the severity of driving under the influence of alcohol. When you decide to drive home in a drunken state, you endanger your own life and the lives of people around you on the road.

Regardless of your driving skills, mixing driving with alcohol can put you at a higher risk of causing an accident, injury, or even death.

In India, statistics say that the cases of drink and drive are on larger sides. As a result, we hear news of accidents, unfortunate deaths of people on roads, and damages to vehicles. The only solution is to avoid driving when drunk.

Here, let’s have a look at the consequences of driving under alcohol influence.

1. Lack of coordination and slowed reflexes:
When you consume alcohol, your body starts reacting to events slowly. Because you won’t be able to respond immediately, the chances of an accident increases. While under the influence of alcohol, your motor control, such as hand, eyes, and foot coordination will slow down. These coordination abilities are vital for safe driving, and alcohol should not hinder them.

2. Increased chances of getting into an accident:
A driver with a BAC (blood alcohol content) of 0.10 percent or above is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident than a sober driver. A driver with a BAC of 0.15 percent or above increases their risk by 25 times. And, while these figures demonstrate the dangers of drunk driving, being at or below the legal limit does not indicate you are safe.

3. Disturbed vision:
Drinking may cause your vision to blur or cause your eyes to manoeuvre on their own. You will even partially lose control over your eye movement. This vision impairment can influence how you’re able to judge the space between your car and other vehicles or objects on the road. You may even lose your visual modality, which plays a crucial role in safe driving. In general, the more you’ve had to drink, the more impaired your vision could be.

4. Poor decision making:
Even a small amount of alcohol can impair your judgment and concentration. Driving requires so much of your undivided attention that it isn’t worth the risk. You must be able to stay in your lane, control your speed, give other drivers adequate space and attention, and obey traffic signals. Because alcohol affects your attention, it dramatically increases your chances of being involved in an accident.

5. Your insurance premiums may rise:
Your driving risk partly determines your insurance premiums. For example, a person convicted of drunk driving will have to pay higher car insurance premiums. This is because the insurance company will most certainly classify that person as a high-risk driver and increases your private car insurance as a result.

Overall, the risks of drinking and driving significantly outweigh the benefit of hoping to arrive home safely. Even when sober, driving a car is challenging in our country. You need to understand that you all have a family back home, be responsible and take care of yourselves. For additional protection, make sure you take the appropriate decision and invest in private car insurance.

To look for private car insurance, click HERE .

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.