Daphne, AL- Common wisdom says that having a designated driver is the best way to stay safe and avoid a DUI. This is generally a good move but a previous study shows that nearly half of those tapped to be a designated driver drink before they take the wheel.
The study, which was conducted by the University of Florida in Gainesville in 2013, found that 40 percent of bar-goers who were also designated drivers has one of two drinks while at the bar with their friends, the Washington Post reported.
Researchers asked designated drivers to participate in a breathalyzer tests and come of up some interesting results. Sixty-five percent of those who participated in a breathalyzer had zero alcohol in their systems, so they obviously took their duty as designated driver seriously. But 28 percent has a BAC between .02 and .49, which is still below the legal limit in Alabama, and 18 percent of designated drivers have a BAC of .05 or higher, according to the Washington Post.
The average male weighing 150 lbs. can have a BAC of .029 just after one beer, a second drink will put their BAC up to .58, CBS reported.
Author of the study, Adam Barry, said in a press release that many designated drivers may think it is okay to drink because they don’t feel intoxicate or believe their driving will be affected since they arent feeling the effects, but this is far from the truth. Barry said, “People do try to use that as a measuring stick. But alcohol is insidious.”
Barry says that even though a person may not feel the effects of alcohol but their driving abilities can impaired with a meager .02 BAC, so he recommends designated drivers abstain from alcohol altogether. “They only real safe option is to completely abstain,” Barry said.
Designating a driver is one way to avoid a DUI, but, according to MADD, most people charged with their first have driven under the influence at least 80 times before they are stopped or arrested. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is a mistake many residents of Alabama make and they all face serious consequences.
In Alabama, a first-time DUI arrest carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail, suspension of your license for at least 90 days and close to $2,000 in fines. So, with a conviction there is a lot at stake and the person facing this charge should seriously considered retaining a DUI attorney serving Alabama to work on their defense strategy.
Whether you are facing a first, second or third DUI charge, you need a dedicated and experienced DUI attorney in Daphne on your side. They have knowledge and skills necessary to provide you with an unbeatable defense so that your DUI charge doesn’t vex you for years to come. When you want the best DUI lawyer in your case, let USAttorneys to connect you with one today. It’s worth the time and money to get expert legal counsel.
