• 30
  • June
    2011

Is there a serious danger posed by driving with small amounts of alcohol in one's system? A recent study says yes. Researchers at UCSD found that even one unit of alcohol in a driver's system increased blood-alcohol levels to the point where the driver was more likely to cause a serious injury.

The study looked at injuries caused by so-called "buzzed drivers" and compared them to injuries caused by sober drivers. The researchers concluded that the buzzed drivers caused serious injuries at a rate that was 36.6 percent greater than the sober drivers.

Looking at serious car accidents across the country from 1994 to 2008, the researchers found that when there were injuries, the rate of serious injury was 3.17 for every non-serious injury caused by sober drivers. The rate of serious injury was 4.33 for every non-serious injury caused by drivers with some alcohol in their systems.

Baton Rouge drunk driving accident attorneys who followed the news of the study noted that the researchers had some theories as to why drivers with small amounts of alcohol would be more likely to cause injuries. For one thing, the buzzed drivers were more likely to be in the vehicle that struck an object or another vehicle. Second, the buzzed drivers were more likely to go without a seat belt or to use one improperly. Finally, the drivers with alcohol were more likely to speed, which put them at greater risk of causing a car accident.

The researchers suggested that authorities should consider lowering the blood-alcohol legal limit for driving.

Source: U.S. News & World Report "Even One Glass of Beer, Wine Boosts Car Crash Risk: Study" 6/24/2011