Know the Signs: 7 Indications that You’re Too Drunk to Drive

You know that you shouldn’t drink and drive. But you also know that you’re perfectly fine to drive safely if you haven’t drunk very much. One drink? No problem. Two drinks? Probably ok. Three drinks? Hmm… starting to get dicey.
How do you know when you’ve had too much to drink to drive. Drinking impairs your judgement, so how are you to know.

Here are seven signs that you or a friend could use to help you know if you’ve had too much to drink to drive:

1. Slurred Speech

Slurred speech is one of the classic signs that you’re drunk. But you may not be able to hear your own words slurring together. You might sound like a classic orator in your own head! You need to bring along a friend who isn’t drinking much (or at all) to let you know if your words are starting to spill together. If you don’t have a sober friend, ask the bartender or someone else nearby. Most people will be happy to tell you if you are slurring your speech and shouldn’t get behind the wheel.

2. Trouble with Balance

Drinking makes you feel dizzy and can make it hard for you to balance. If you find yourself falling off your chair, feeling like you’re going to fall over, or just bumping into chairs and doors, you’ve probably been drinking too much to drive.

Again, it’s probably best to ask a friend or a helpful stranger if they notice you wobbling to get an unbiased perspective. You probably feel “fine,” even if everyone else thinks you’re clearly drunk.

3. Slowed Reaction Time

Alcohol messes with your reaction time. You can take a lot longer to respond than you normally would. Someone may ask you a question, and you may think that you are responding like normal, but an unusually long pause may have passed before you answer. This can be a big problem when you’re driving and a fast reaction time is essential to avoiding unexpected obstacles.

Always get outside perspectives for this one. You’ll likely think your reaction time is fine even though you’re moving like a sloth to everyone else.

4. Unusual Speech

If you’ve been drinking too much, you are going to talk unusually. You may talk too fast, or you may talk too slow. You may talk too loudly, or you may talk so softly that no one can hear you. In your mind, you will be talking normally, but other people will clearly see a problem.

It’s a good idea to always have a friend with you when you’re drinking, if for no other reason than to be able to tell you that you’re showing the tell-tale signs that you’ve been drinking too much.

5. Trouble with Recall

You will have problems with concentration and short-term memory if you are inebriated. You may not notice it at first since we all stumble to remember things or lose our train of thought from time to time. You can test yourself by getting your friend to ask you about the conversation you had five minutes ago or what you were watching on the TV when you entered the bar. If you can’t remember, chances are good that you’ve had too much to drink.

6. Failed Field Sobriety Test

If you want to get really serious about testing your fitness for the road, have your friend run you through a practice field sobriety test. Your friend can ask you to say the alphabet, to walk a straight line, or to display coordination by touching your nose with your finger. Failing any of these tasks can indicate that you have been drinking too much to drive.

7. Try Phone Apps

There’s an app for everything now – including telling you whether you are drunk. One iPhone app monitors your eye movement to detect a tremor that can indicate that you’re drunk. Another Android app will analyze your speech patterns to see if you are slurring your speech, talking to fast, or displaying other unusual speech patterns. You can even download a driving simulator app for either system to see if you can handle being behind the wheel.

Be responsible when you drink and keep it to a responsible level. Eat while you’re drinking to reduce the impact of the alcohol, and take an Uber or get a designated driver to go home. If you are thinking of driving, use these tips to help you know that you’ve had too much to drink and shouldn’t drive.

Being convicted of a DUI can lead to serious legal penalties and a lot of personal problems. If you have been charged with DUI, call My AZ Lawyers to learn how one of our experienced DUI attorneys can help you. Our experienced DUI lawyers will explore every option for fighting the charges against you. If it’s not possible to get the charges dismissed, we will fight to get them reduced and to have the penalties reduced. Call us today to talk to a DUI defense lawyer about your options.

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