It’s never a good idea to get behind the wheel after drinking, but a commonly accepted rule is to wait one hour for each drink. So, if you’ve had three cocktails during a night out with friends, wait about three hours before you consider driving.
The actual amount of time it can take for the body to metabolize alcohol depends on a variety of factors. Some of these include a person’s overall alcohol consumption, age, sex, weight, general health, medications, and more. Any of these might accelerate or decelerate the process, and because everyone’s body is unique, it can be difficult to accurately tell how your body handles alcohol.
If you still feel intoxicated after waiting, give it an additional hour. In the meantime, consider alternative transportation arrangements or overnight accommodations. Never, under any circumstance, get in your vehicle if you believe there’s a possibility that you’re still intoxicated – the potential consequences of a DWI simply aren’t worth it!
Drowsiness & Intoxication
One factor that most people don’t often consider is how tired they’re going to be after whatever revelry involved drinking – especially if they wait to sober up. A night that ends in the very early morning can be exhausting on its own, and it can be just as risky to drive home while drowsy as it would be if someone was intoxicated.
Making matters more complicated, it can also be difficult to tell the difference between fatigue and intoxication. Both can severely impact your judgment and coordination, but in Texas, only one of these is explicitly prohibited by law. Most of us would agree that we wouldn’t want to discover whether we’re just tired or not on the end of a police officer’s breathalyzer.
Are You Facing a DWI Charge?
If you were arrested for DWI, our attorney at The Law Office of Rene A. Flores PLLC can help. With many years of experience representing clients in DWI cases, we have the legal skill necessary to help you secure a better outcome for the future.
For more information about how we can help, contact us online now.