The Fourth of July is quickly approaching, and people in Lafayette may already be making plans to celebrate Independence Day. Many of these people will decide to celebrate with friends and family, where they will eat, set of fireworks and in many cases have a beer or two. After all, drinking is a common activity at any summertime party.
Many people who have a couple of drinks at a party may think there is no danger in driving home afterwards. However, even consuming two drinks can impair a person’s ability to drive. This could lead to car accidents that injure or kill other motorists.
For example, if a person has about two alcoholic drinks, their blood alcohol concentration may be around 0.02%. This is well below the legal limit of 0.08%. However, even having a couple drinks can make it more difficult for drivers to rapidly track moving objects, such as other motorists. Those with a BAC of 0.02% may also have problems performing more than one task at a time, which is necessary when driving. They may even have some loss of judgment, so they may not be able to react appropriately to driving conditions or the actions of other motorists. Any of these effects could lead to a motor vehicle accident caused by an impaired driver.
In the end, people should assume that there is no amount of alcohol that is safe to drink before driving. Unfortunately, some people will not heed this advice and will drive after consuming alcohol. Drunk driving accidents are common around holidays, including Independence Day. No one wants a celebration to end in tragedy, but when a drunk driver strikes another motorist, it can cause injuries or even fatalities. Those injured in a drunk driving accident may be able to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and more.
