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What factors increase drunk driving accidents?

Blood alcohol concentration or BAC is the proportion of alcohol to blood in the body, expressed as the percentage of alcohol in deciliters of blood–for example, 0.10 percent (i.e., 0.10 grams per deciliter). A 160-pound man will have a BAC of approximately 0.04 percent 1 hour after consuming two 12-ounce beers or two other standard drinks on an empty stomach. Research has documented that the risk of a motor vehicle crash increases as BAC increases.

Age. Cited as one of the most important variables related to crash risk, age affects the judgments of most drivers. Young drivers are inexperienced not only in driving but in drinking and combining the two activities often prove to be disastrous. Young people’s lack of driving experience, coupled with inability to handle their drink, renders them less likely than more experienced drivers to cope successfully with hazardous situations.

Gender. Research shows that women metabolize alcohol differently from men, causing women to reach higher BAC’s at the same doses. However, laboratory studies of alcohol impairment of driving skills among women are rare and the results are inconclusive.

Combining medications with alcohol. Combining certain medications with alcohol increases crash risk. Sedatives and tranquilizers alone can impair driving skills and can have a deleterious effect when combined with alcohol.

Alcohol tolerance. A driver who drives on familiar route under the influence of some alcohol may develop alcohol tolerance and can navigate this area without any mishaps. But given a an unexpected situation, such as a bicycle darting in front of the car in a blind corner, this same driver would be at the same risk for a crash as a driver with the same BAC  who is not familiar with the route.

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