It’s no secret that even light drinking can lead to an impaired driver. The short-term effects of drinking can lead to difficulties concentrating and reacting behind the wheel. Drinking and driving causes thousands of accidents each year, affecting the lives and livelihoods of countless Americans.
Not as many people are aware of the dangers of distracted driving, on the other hand. While drinking may lead to more fatalities, distracted driving causes many more nonfatal accidents. Distracted driving accounted for 391,000 injuries in 2015, which is over 100,000 more than drunk driving.
The Effects of Drunk Driving
Drunk driving always has a negative impact on driving, even after a single drink. You don’t have to hit the legal limit of 0.08% BAC to experience a decline in cognitive function. At a level of just 0.05%, you start losing your reasoning skills and inhibitions, leading to more reckless decisions behind the wheel. Higher BAC levels lead to even greater recklessness. After a few drinks, drivers experience impaired vision, poor decision-making skills, and a loss of coordination. This makes it challenging to achieve simple tasks like staying in a lane or braking at the right time.
The Effects of Distracted Driving
Countless things can distract a driver while sitting in their car. Texting or even talking on the phone while driving is a common cause of accidents, accounting for more than a quarter of all automobile crashes in 2014. According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorists under 25 are three times more likely to text while driving than older drivers, though programs such as Drop it and Drive, End Distracted Driving, and Impact Teen Drivers are dedicated to tackling the issue.
Related: How to Not Get Pulled Over for DUI
There are plenty of other things that can distract drivers on the road beside texting as well. Eating, applying makeup, fiddling with the GPS, or even dealing with restless kids can all prove to detract from your focus while driving. Unlike drunk driving, distracted driving not only involves a lapse in thinking or judgment. It involves completely taking your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel for any given period, slowing or completely eliminating reaction times.
A Comparison
While both drinking and driving can be dangerous, distracted driving accounts for far more injuries on the road. It’s easy for motorists to find themselves distracted by their phone, their food, or their family when driving. It’s important to keep the distractions to a minimum when in the car by putting phones and other items away and asking passengers to maintain a reasonable volume. This way, you can keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and your insurance premiums low.
Contact Artz & Sturm today if you have been arrested for DUI in Los Angeles.
