What Doesn’t Work: While driving home from the New Year’s Eve party, demonstrating to the police car behind you that you are fully capable of operating a vehicle by driving slalom in and out of the dotted white lines: “Don’t worry honey, I know exactly how to handle this.”
What Works: Never driving “buzzed.” Most people cannot tell when their own blood alcohol is above the legal limit. If they feel okay and haven’t had many drinks, they will often decide it is okay to drive. But even when you don’t feel drunk and you haven’t had very much to drink other factors can put you over the limit. For example, if you weigh less than average and haven’t had anything to eat in the last couple of hours, two drinks can push your BAC over the legal limit. Also, if you feel fine when you get behind the wheel, you’re blood alcohol can continue increasing as you drive home. Or, if you’re on certain types of medication, that can intensify the negative effects of alcohol. So, if you have been drinking it is always best to have a designated driver or call a cab.
