Temperatures are warming up and it’s starting to feel like summer at the lake of the Ozarks! That means tons of people will be having fun in the sun and making memories together. From boating and swimming to dining, shopping, and enjoying live music at one of the many venues here at the lake, lots of people will also be indulging and enjoying adult beverages while having fun. That means that as you are out on the road this summer, it is more possible you will be out on the road with people who have been drinking. It also means that as you are making plans to go out and have fun, it’s important for you to be responsible and have a designated driver.
Drinking can impair your driving in a number of ways that you may not notice at the time. But when you think about it when sober, we know there are some obvious ways that being under the influence of alcohol can hinder your driving skills. In today’s blog we just wanted to remind you of some specific things that are affected by drinking and why having a designated driver is so important. We also want to give a huge shout-out to all the designated drivers out there and the people who use them. It is a real way to make a difference and help avoid tragedies and we respect you for it. Our mid-Missouri personal injury attorneys have seen firsthand how devastating a drunk driving accident in central Missouri can be, and we know that no one wants to cause one or be a victim of one. So today’s blog is just a friendly reminder of 3 specific ways alcohol affects your driving and are reasons for you to choose a designated driver and avoid drinking and driving.
1) Reaction Time and Decision Making
This is one of the biggest and most obvious disadvantages to trying to drive after you’ve been drinking. Alcohol is a depressant and can slow your reaction time and cloud your judgment. At highway speed, even a fraction of a second can determine whether or not you have a collision. There are numerous obstacles that may arise unexpectedly while driving such as animals, other drivers, and even changing of traffic lights and reacting quickly to such things is essential to avoiding accidents. But when drinking, you may be slow to react, you may overreact, or just not react at all. Of course, most people make better decisions when they’re sober, so make a good decision and arrange for a designated driver when you plan to go out and drink.
2) Tracking and Speed Control
People tend to be much less consistent in their speeds and tracking after drinking alcohol. Staying in the center of your lane and not crossing the lines becomes more challenging when you’re not sober, and in the curvy hills of the Ozarks, one small move outside of your lane can cost a life or lives. Blind hills and curves on roads with no shoulders create an unforgiving driving environment, so don’t take chances when it’s as simple as planning ahead.
3) Vision
Alcohol can affect your eye for detail and how your eyes respond to light. When driving at night, it’s normal to be drawn toward the light of oncoming cars. We know instinctively to stay in our lane and avoid them, but this can be harder to judge when drinking or drunk. It’s also important to be able to keep an eye out for things such as deer and to be able to accurately judge the distance between you and the cars around you. Alcohol makes all of these things more challenging and therefore more dangerous to you and others on the road with you.
At Gibbons Law Firm, we don’t want to see any more drunk driving accidents at Lake of the Ozarks. We know that we won’t stop them all, but every accident that any of us can help avoid should be considered a win. We want everyone to enjoy their time at Lake of the Ozarks, make memories, and have fun to the max. But we encourage you to do it responsibly. Having a designated driver allows you to do it worry-free. No one wants to be hurt, hurt someone else, or go to prison because they were just wanting to have fun. So plan ahead, do it the right way, and party on! If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident in mid-Missouri, we want you to know your rights. You should not have to go through your recovery alone, and you deserve compensation for your losses. We offer a free initial consultation with our personal injury attorneys at Lake of the Ozarks, and we would be more than willing to speak with you about your case and help you understand what your options are. Just give our Lake Ozark law firm a call to make an appointment. If you’d like to hear more tips and helpful information from our personal injury lawyers at Lake of the Ozarks, we invite you to use the links below to follow us on social media.
Remember, your initial consultation with Gibbons Law Firm is always free.
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