Georgia Injury Law Blog
Nationwide, the maximum legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level is .08. However, most motorists are not aware their auto accident risks begins to increase long before their BAC levels reach that figure.
While .08 is the maximum limit for blood alcohol concentration across the country, the fact is that many motorists, especially light or moderate drinkers, are likely to experience deterioration in their driving abilities that significantly increases their risks of being involved in an auto accident, even at .04 or even lower. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol can impact driving ability even after one drink. The average drink in the United States can result in a blood alcohol concentration of between .02 and .04 for a light to moderate drinker. This is sufficient to affect the person’s vision as well as his or her ability to multitask. Imagine a person with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 trying to drive as well as respond to phone calls at the same time. His or her ability to multitask is markedly reduced, significantly impacting his or her safety and the risks of being involved in a car accident.
When blood alcohol concentration level rises to .05, there is a significant deterioration in driving abilities. At this point, the person is not legally drunk, but his coordination skills are impaired, and he or she might find it difficult to steer effectively. Vision is further reduced during this stage of alcohol intoxication, and he may find it difficult to track moving objects which makes it very dangerous when he is on the road and needs to observe the behaviors of drivers around him. His or her ability to respond to emergency driving situations is also significantly lower at this point. All of these factors increase his or her chances of being involved in a car accident causing serious injuries or even a fatal car accident.