Most people know the dangers of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Unfortunately, far too many people take the wheel after an evening out drinking with family and friends.
Alcohol consumption is one of the major causes of car wrecks in the United States. This is due to the effects of alcohol on the brain and essential muscle function.
How does alcohol consumption cause car accidents?
Besides its long-term toll on human health, the immediate effects of alcohol consumption make it dangerous to engage in activities that call for attention, skill and proper coordination. Here is how drunk driving results in car accidents:
- Compromised judgment: Drunk driving can impact the driver’s ability to remain attentive, think clearly and make sound decisions. All these can prompt the motorist to make risky behaviors like running through stoplights and speeding that likely cause an accident.
- Hindered concentration: It takes a lot of attention to drive safely. When your ability to focus on driving is compromised, then the risk of an accident increases significantly.
- Impaired muscles: Some of the muscles that are immediately and greatly affected by alcohol are the muscles that control the eyes. A result is the drunk driver is likely to have blurred vision. Alcohol consumption is also known to lower an individual’s peripheral vision, meaning that a drunk driver is likely to experience difficulty seeing objects that are not directly in front of them.
A car accident can leave you with serious injuries. If you are a victim of a car accident as a result of someone operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, you may pursue the responsible party for compensation for your damages.
