Anyone who consumes any alcoholic beverage will experience “a buzz.” It might come just after one or two drinks or even just a few sips. That buzz means the alcohol is taking effect in your brain.
The more alcohol you drink, the more you’ll feel the effects. One of the most dangerous effects of alcohol is providing a sense of invincibility. Many drivers think they’re fine to get behind the wheel of a car and drive home. Too often, that ends in tragedy.
Understanding how alcohol affects reaction time while driving plays a crucial role in any personal injury claim. A skilled Gulfport drunk driving accident lawyer will use that information as proof that the intoxicated driver was reckless and responsible for their actions, even in their compromised state.
If you’ve been involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver, you owe it to yourself and your family to speak with the attorneys at Owen, Owen & Smith, PLLC. We have helped many victims of a drunk driver hold that person accountable for their actions. We will help you understand the correlation between alcohol and driving reaction time.
The Science of Alcohol and Brain Function
Medical researchers had conducted extensive studies into the science of alcohol and brain function. What they found was that alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant.
Essentially, when the alcohol enters the bloodstream, it serves as a blockade of communication between the brain and the body. This directly targets your ability to react.
Consider what happens in a fraction of a second when driving:
- You see a hazard ahead
- You process that information
- You decide on a response
- Your brain sends signals to your muscles to carry out the response
With alcohol in your system, all of those steps are slowed down and often skipped over.
In Mississippi, you are considered legally intoxicated if you have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08%. However, according to widely accepted information published by the Cleveland Clinic, at a 0.02% BAC, you can experience an altered mood and loss of judgment.
If you drink enough to register a 0.08%, you can experience the following:
- Reduced muscle coordination
- Slower visual processing
- Difficulty detecting danger
- Impaired motor skills
- Decreased concentration
The bottom line is that alcohol slows your brain’s processing time, and that can lead to deadly consequences.
How Alcohol Impairs Critical Driving Skills
1.5 seconds. That is the average reaction time for a driver under normal conditions.
Alcohol in your system creates a widening gap in your reaction time. Even something as simple as hitting the brakes to avoid a car that suddenly stops ahead of you can be impacted.
Here’s what happens when you drive with alcohol in your system:
Coordination and Control
The motor skills that are necessary for driving, such as steering and braking, will be diminished. That can lead to impairment that causes lane drift, weaving, or erratic driving.
Vision and Perception
Alcohol causes blurred or double vision. That reduces your ability to focus on the road ahead and impairs depth perception. It can also decrease your peripheral vision and make it harder to see hazards.
Judgment and Decision-Making
It is common knowledge that alcohol reduces inhibition in social situations. That extends to when you’re driving, as it impairs your ability to assess risks. That can lead to speeding, improper passing, or underestimating distance.
Attention and Concentration
With dull senses, it becomes difficult to focus on the road and manage multiple tasks, such as watching traffic and checking your mirrors.
Measuring the Gap in Emergency Response Time
When you see a potential problem on the road ahead, you need to react fast, but you can’t change the laws of science. If you’re driving at 55 mph, you need around 80 feet to come to a complete stop. If your driving is impaired, your reaction will be delayed. Research shows that as BAC rises:
- 02% BAC – Slight decline in visual tracking
- 05% BAC – Reduced coordination and braking response
- 08% BAC – Significant reaction time delay and impaired motor control
When a reaction gap occurs, the risk of a high-impact, severe accident increases.
Legal Consequences of Impaired Driving in Mississippi
Mississippi law has set the legal BAC limit at 0.08% for most drivers. For commercial drivers, the BAC limit is 0.04%. If you are convicted of a DUI, it can lead to the following consequences:
- License suspension
- Fines and court costs
- Mandatory alcohol education programs
- Possible jail time
It is important to note that criminal penalties are separate from civil liability. In other words, a driver might accept a plea bargain and avoid a felony conviction.
However, that doesn’t absolve them of responsibility in a civil lawsuit. If you are a victim of a drunk driving accident, you are entitled to seek compensation for any losses.
Getting Help from a Gulfport Drunk Driving Accident Attorney
Depending on the circumstances of your accident, it might be immediately known if the other driver was intoxicated. When police arrive at the accident scene and suspect the driver is impaired, they will conduct a field sobriety test. That can trigger a breathalyzer test.
If the driver blows a 0.08%, they could be cited and arrested on the spot. That can support your personal injury claim because it clearly establishes negligence.
The attorneys at Owen, Owen & Smith, PLLC have helped many clients who have been the victims of a drunk driver. We can step in as your advocate and provide support for the initial insurance claim and throughout settlement negotiations. If there is a need to file a civil lawsuit, we’ll be fully prepared to represent you in court.
Support begins with a free consultation, where we can answer your questions and discuss next steps to help you seek the maximum amount you’re due.
Call to schedule a free consultation today.
