One of the biggest mistakes drivers make is that they miscalculate how much alcohol is still in their system when getting in the car and driving. If they are lucky, they will get to their destination without incident. If they are not, they may get pulled over and arrested by law enforcement officers, cause a crash or both.
The safest amount of alcohol to consume before driving is zero. However, the law does not forbid most drivers from having a small amount to drink before driving. But what is that amount?
Your body processes alcohol at its own pace
If you drink, you need to let your body process the alcohol at its own rhythm, which may be different from the rate at which your friend’s bodies process alcohol. Men typically process it a bit quicker than women, for example.
You cannot speed it up by glugging down glasses or water, brewing up a strong cup of coffee or buying a burger from the late-night stand. None of them will make a difference even if they do leave you feeling a little better. You just need to let the body do its thing, so patience is key.
The average rate at which a body processes alcohol is 15 to 25 mg per hour, but you should not rely on that figure, as it is just an average.
How much alcohol is in a drink?
If you were to try and calculate, you’d need to know how much alcohol is in your drinks and that can be difficult because measures are not always the same (especially if you are drinking at a a friend’s house rather than a bar) and the alcohol content of even two of the same type of drink can vary dramatically.
As you can see working out how much you can safely drink is very hard. If a driver who consumed alcohol injures you, the fact they thought they were safe to drive won’t make things any better. And it won’t change the fact that you’ll need to look to hold them responsible for compensation.