You went out to dinner with friends and had just one drink with your meal. Is it safe for you to drive afterward? While your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) may be below the legal limit after just one drink, operating a vehicle while under the influence of any amount of alcohol is not safe.
Keep reading below to learn how just one drink may affect you and increase your risk of a car accident.
How Alcohol Affects Your Ability To Drive
It should come as no surprise that alcohol impairs your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
Alcohol and driving never mix well, and there are many ways in which drinking can affect your driving skills.
Some of the negative effects include:
- Slowed reaction times: Alcohol impairs your ability to process information and makes you drowsy, thus slowing down your reaction times. Quick reaction times can be crucial to avoiding accidents when driving.
- Impaired judgment: After drinking, you may misjudge the speed or distance of other vehicles on the road. You might also take risks that you would not otherwise take, and this can be extremely dangerous on the road.
- Blurry vision: Drinking alcohol can result in blurred vision or even an inability to distinguish between certain colors. This could also cause you to drift from your lane or run off the edge of the road, and your vision can be affected with a BAC as low as 0.02%.
Driving a motor vehicle requires complete focus and quick response times. Any amount of impairment creates a dangerous situation, and that is why you should not drive a vehicle even if you have only had one drink.
Can I Be Arrested for Driving After Just One Drink?
The short answer is yes, you could be arrested for a DUI even if you have only had one drink. Arizona’s DUI laws have changed drastically over the last 30 years, and the state takes drunk driving very seriously. For drivers 21 and over, the legal BAC limit is 0.08%.
However, according to Arizona Revised Statutes 28-1381(A)(1), it is unlawful for a person to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other substances “if the person is impaired to the slightest degree.” Even one drink can cause impairment, and this means that you could be arrested for a DUI even when your BAC is below the legal limit of 0.08%.
Penalties for Drunk Driving in Arizona
Drivers who decide to get behind the wheel after drinking can face some significant criminal penalties. Those penalties include:
- License suspension
- Fines
- Jail time
- Ignition interlock device
- Substance abuse counseling
Additionally, you can expect your insurance premiums to skyrocket. You might also have trouble finding employment in the future due to the criminal convictions on your record.
If you get into an accident, things get even worse. You could be held legally responsible for any injuries or damages you cause. This includes both the victim’s economic damages and their pain and suffering, and your insurance might not cover it if you were drinking at the time of the accident.
What To Do if You Are Hurt by a Drunk Driver
If you are hurt in an accident by a drunk driver, you may be entitled to recover compensation for all your damages. These accidents often result in serious injuries, and this means that a lot of money can be at stake in a DUI accident claim. The steps you take after your accident can have a big impact on your legal rights and your ability to recover compensation.
After the accident, you should:
- Call 911 and have the police respond to the accident
- Get immediate medical attention for your injuries, no matter how minor they seem
- Document the scene if you are able, by taking pictures of all the vehicles and your injuries
- Request copies of the accident report
- Save all your medical records, bills, receipts, and other documentation
- Get help from a personal injury lawyer
Taking these steps can help preserve important evidence and support your claim for compensation after a drunk driving accident.
Contact AJ Law, PLC To Schedule a Free Consultation With a Phoenix Car Accident Attorney
Even one drink can impair your driving and put you at risk of a DUI in Arizona. The safest choice is to avoid driving after drinking, regardless of your BAC. If a drunk driver causes an accident, injured victims may be entitled to compensation. Taking the right steps after a crash can help protect your ability to recover damages.
At AJ Law, PLC, we can help you by gathering evidence, requesting copies of arrest records, and putting an accurate value on your claim. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a Phoenix car accident lawyer and learn more about your legal options.
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