What Is Drunk Driving?
What is Drunk Driving?
Driving under the influence (DUI) is an offense that involves operating or controlling a vehicle while intoxicated. Even a single drink of alcohol can impair an individual’s judgment. Getting behind the wheel of a car while impaired is a criminal offense that can result in severe injuries. In the United States, drunk drivers face hefty fines and even jail time. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways to avoid getting into trouble.
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Alcohol affects the senses after only one drink
Whether you’ve had a few drinks or a few dozen, alcohol affects your senses. Alcohol slows your brain’s communication between nerve cells, dulling your senses. Although alcohol may appear to be a stimulant, it depresses the inhibition control part of the brain. This can lead to impaired judgment and thought processes. Alcohol also lowers your pain threshold.
Alcohol also inhibits the formation and retention of new memories. Its effect on memory varies based on whether or not the person has been paying attention or rehearsed the information. While this can be good for short-term memory, it can hurt your long-term memory, particularly if you’re drinking in the morning. Alcohol can also lead to stomach issues such as diarrhea and other unpleasant symptoms. It causes the stomach to produce more acid and can cause an inflamed stomach lining.
Alcohol affects brain chemistry and affects both inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters. These changes can lead to blackouts and other side effects. Luckily, most people will only experience this side effect after one drink.
Drunk driving is a criminal offense
Drunk driving is a criminal offense that puts your life and the lives of others at risk. The consequences of this offense can range from a suspension of your license to hefty fines and even jail time. While the first offense is a misdemeanor in all 50 states, a second or third offense can be treated as a felony. A DUI conviction will show up on standard criminal background checks and criminal screenings.
In most states, a first-time DUI conviction is a misdemeanor. However, if you’ve been arrested before, it’s a felony in most states. A felony conviction is generally a more serious charge. However, the severity of your case depends on the circumstances of your arrest.
It can lead to severe injuries
A drunk driver is more prone to make mistakes when driving, which can cause severe injuries. Injuries caused by drunk driving accidents often include broken bones, amputations, and other life-altering injuries. Severe injuries may require surgery and a year or more of physical therapy. Some victims of the drunk driving crash also sustain internal organ damage, such as damaged kidneys, lungs, and spleens. The victims of drunk driving accidents may need to undergo emergency medical care, and they may even have to undergo reconstructive surgery.
In addition to physical injuries, victims of drunk driving accidents may experience emotional trauma. Some of these victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder. This can leave them feeling depressed and scared to drive again. An attorney can help victims recover financially from their emotional and mental suffering.