New Years Eve Weekend Safe Driving Tips

With New Years Eve just a couple days away, we want to remind drivers to drive safely.

Drivers are encouraged to be extra vigilant due to the potential for impaired drivers behind the wheel. It’s important to plan ahead and designate a driver, plan for an Uber or Lyfy, or make overnight accommodations.

According to NHTSA, about 37 people daily in the US die in drunk-driving related crashes. That is equivalent to one person every 39 minutes. In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths, which is a 14% increase from 2020.

For context, the below information are statistics regarding how a 12-ounce beer over the course of one hour affects the body of an adult weighing 150 pounds.

• After One Drink, Inhibitions Are Lowered: A person may be less critical of him or herself and others, and judgment begins to be affected. Coordination may also be affected. (BAC: 0.02-0.03 percent).
• After Two Drinks, Reaction Time Will Be Slower: A person may appear relaxed and friendly. Reaction time begins to slow. (BAC: 0.04-0.05 percent).
• After Three Drinks, Judgment Is Not Sound: A person will not think clearly and may do or say rude or unreasonable things, and reasoning is less reliable. Reaction time slows down. (BAC: 0.06-0.07 percent).
• After Four Drinks, Hearing, Speech, Vision and Balance Are Adversely Affected: A person may have difficulty enunciating words. As eye muscles become more relaxed, focusing and tracking becomes more difficult. Although the drinker may not be aware of it, reaction time is greatly slowed. (BAC: 0.08-0.09 percent).
• After Five Drinks, Most Behaviors Are Affected: Body parts do not seem to work together. Speech may be slurred. Performing any task that requires the use of hands and feet is difficult. Walking without stumbling also is difficult. (BAC: 0.10-0.11 percent).
• After 12 Drinks, A 150-Pound Person’s BAC Would Be About 0.30 Percent: At this level, a coma or deep sleep is not unusual. If there is enough alcohol in the stomach when the person passes out, the blood-alcohol level will continue to rise. If the BAC reaches 0.40 percent, they may fall into a deep coma and die.

The legal limit of alcohol in the blood while driving is .08%.