According to a study conducted at Northern Kentucky University, in contrast to binge drinkers, moderate social drinkers are much more capable of determining whether or not they are too drunk to drive. Although this seems logical, according to the study, individuals who are considered binge drinkers, which makes up 90% of the population of underage drinkers, and over 50% of drinkers age 21-29, believe they are more capable of driving after a few drinks than their moderate drinking counterparts. In sum, the binge drinkers don’t realize they are driving erratically. This tragically results in more auto accidents caused by drunk drivers.
The implications of this fall in a vast gray area of the law. The Florida legal limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08%. This can be achieved by a little over one drink in women under 110 pounds and two drinks in men under 165 pounds in one hour period. The law can only be objective and apply a uniform standard. Therefore, whether or not a driver feels he is capable of driving is irrelevant. Either you meet the legal limit and are driving under the influence or you are not.
This study could be good in informing the public that the more often you drink, the more likely you are to feel comfortable driving. Too many people judge their driving capability on the way they feel; not on how much they drank. One suggestion is to keep portable breathalyzers at establishments that serve alcohol so drivers can test themselves, instead of guessing. This has been tried before however and binge drinkers would use the machine as a game to see how high they can get their blood alcohol level.
Drunk drivers remain a danger to all motorists and are a substantial cause of Orlando auto accidents.
