Australian culture involves a lot of alcohol. There’s nothing wrong with that if you are mindful of doing it safely.
But how many people have a real handle on how much alcohol is too much for them before they get behind the wheel? You may think you’re okay to drive, but the reality could be quite different.
Being arrested for drink driving could be costly to you and others. If caught drink driving, you could lose your licence, be fined, or even go to jail. You’ll probably then end up looking up drink driving lawyer Brisbane on your phone or computer.
False: Alcohol Doesn’t Affect Me…..
Sure, alcohol can loosen us up socially and make events more festive, but it can take a toll on our driving ability. On the road, we need to think quickly and constantly to make the right decisions. Too much alcohol slows down reaction times and attention spans. It can also blur vision and affect hearing. It’s all a recipe for disaster that can easily be avoided.
Ah, One More Drink Will Be Fine…..
Did you know that in a recent survey of 1,000 Australians, 43% didn’t know how many drinks they could have and still stay under the legal blood alcohol limit? This is due to the fact that every person is different and their body can process the amount of alcohol they intake at a different rate.
In general, it’s wise to avoid alcohol entirely if you will be driving. There is no recipe to ensure that you stay under the 0.05% BAC (blood alcohol concentration) that will enable you to operate a car.
It is often told that:
- Men can have a maximum of two standard drinks in the first hour and one standard drink each hour after that;
- Women can have a maximum of one standard drink in the first hour and one standard drink each hour after that.
A standard drink is about 10g of alcohol, like one beer or a small glass of wine.
Everyone is different, and this needs to be tailored to each individual.
This general rule however is not an accurate reflection on what alcohol your body can take, before being over the legal driving limit.
As your licence is integral to your work and home life, following this unproven rule could end in disaster. You could lose your licence, your employment and even your liberty.
Remedies That Don’t Work
Of the people surveyed, drinking water, sleeping, and eating something greasy were the most common remedies people believed could lower one’s BAC. They are wrong, and they don’t work.
Other remedies were drinking coffee or tea and taking a cold shower, which is equally useless.
The only way for BAC to decrease is to let your liver do the work naturally, which can take some time. You can drink a lot one night and still have alcohol in your system the next day. Our Brisbane drink driving lawyers appear regularly at courts throughout Queensland for persons charged with “morning after” offences.
Don’t Take the Risk: Plan Ahead
Don’t take your car. Take a taxi or an Uber, or have a friend drive you home. You know what to do. So many safe options allow you to drink and get home safely and uneventfully.
Traffic charges are a big deal in the Queensland Court system. If you do find yourself charged with a traffic offence, an experienced traffic lawyer can help you get a reduced disqualification or perhaps allow you to keep your licence fully. We can also assist you in making an application for work licence if you are eligible.
We provide ourselves on being specialist drink driving lawyers. Contact our office in Brisbane City to get you out of that sticky situation, but most importantly – don’t drink and drive!
Sources:
https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/road-safety/drink-driving/charged
https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/research/drink-driving-statistics.html
https://www.racq.com.au/about-us/advocacy/road-safety-priorities/alcohol-and-drink-driving