Sounds familiar? This is the caption of the message the law enforcement agencies have been trying to spread in many states in the US about the danger of drunk driving. And the caption has been very effective in delivering the message to the potentially errant drivers. But why is this so important to the law enforcement?

The consumption of alcohol or drugs often increases the risk of being involved in crashes by a great degree. Contrary to the popular belief, alcohol is a depressant. It slows down your reflexes and impairs you judgment, thus making you less alert and more sluggish. In a situation warranting quick reaction, your brain takes a long time to decipher the signal your eyes are sending. By the time your brain understands the situation and tries to react, it is very late and the danger is imminent. So, it tries to overreact with aggressive maneuvers, resulting, often, in crashes. Even though drunk drivers feel that they are in control of themselves, it is not true. The effects of alcohol start with the first drink itself. One should always avoid becoming intoxicated before driving.

In a similar way, drugs too can affect the reflexes, judgment, vision and alertness. Some drugs such as Pep pills, “uppers,” and diet pills make you feel alert and energetic for some time, but will make you nervous, dizzy, and defocused a short while after consumption. Narcotics such as heroin, cocaine, or hashish make you lose control completely.

After you consume alcohol or drugs, safe driving is never possible. A drunk driver simply risks his or her own life along with the life of fellow drivers and pedestrians on the road. Drunk driving punishment is becoming more severe in every country in an effort to reduce road rashes and fatalities arising from crashes. It is unfortunate that many people still take the risk of drinking and driving, unaware of the consequences which will follow if they are caught. The law in every country forbids driving after drinking, unless reasonable amount of time has passed and your body has gotten rid the alcohol. In the US, drinking beyond a threshold for adult drivers is prohibited and for underage drivers, drinking any amount of alcohol is a strict no. Commercial drivers need to be more careful about drugs and alcohol as they receive more stringent penalties for such violations.

How drunk you are, is measured by BAC or Blood Alcohol Content. Cops can use a breathalyzer (breath analyzer) or a chemical test on your blood and/or urine to determine your BAC and arrest you for going over the threshold (which is 0.08 in most states). Knowing the legal limit in your state is essential and so is the knowledge of the penalties for drug or alcohol related violations. Many DMVs include drug and alcohol policy related questions in their learners permit test to increase awareness among future drivers.A few things you might want to know about drug and alcohol:

Factors influencing your BAC:

Same amount of alcohol can get you different amount of blood alcohol content because of the following:

* Body weight, – less weight results in more BAC.
* Body composition – more muscle and less fat equate to less BAC.
* The period of time in which the alcohol was consumed – longer sessions mean more BAC assuming you keep drinking.
* The amount of time since you had your last drink – the shorter the time elapsed, the more the amount of alcohol in your blood stream.

What should you do if you drink at a party?

* Drink carefully, and take one drink per hour. Human body takes about 1 hour to burn one standard drink (12 ounces of beer or 5 ounce of wine).
* Designate a non drinking driver to take you home
* Take a cab
* Stay back at the host’s place.

What does NOT make you sober?

* Any amount of tea, coffee, or water consumption. You may feel alert, but your BAC remains high until your liver burns it.
* Cold shower
* Workout
* The only way your body gets rid of alcohol is by having your liver burn it. You have to give it enough time to do its work. There is no short cut.

The penalties are very severe if you are caught driving drunk. Refusing breath, blood, or urine test can result in instant suspension of your driving privileges. In certain states, law does not allow appealing penalty for offense related to alcohol or drugs. Drivers under 18 years old are more at risk of license revocation or/and imprisonment up to 1 year to a maximum of 4 years along with a compulsory fine. After the period of revocation, they have to retake the driving license test, which is cumbersome and time-consuming. In many states, drug and alcohol related offenses stay permanently on the driving record of the convicted. Many employers have started looking at your driving record as a part of risk assessment. The fun of drinking is not worth the kind of risk associated with it. If you drink and drive, you lose. Big time. Seriously.