One Drink Can Increase Your Risk of a Dallas Car Accident

How many times have your heard, "I'll just have one drink...I'll be okay to drive"? Don't be fooled. A new study suggests that just one glass of beer or one glass of wine can increase your chances of being seriously injured in a Dallas car accident.

New study shows the impact of just one beer, one glass of wine

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego and was published online in June 2011, in the journal, Addiction. The study concluded that a single beer or glass of wine can raise blood alcohol content (BAC) levels enough to increase your chances of being injured in a motor vehicle accident.

Even if your blood-alcohol content level is 0.01

The state's legal limit is 0.08 and driving with a blood alcohol content level at this percentage or higher is considered dangerous. However, researchers concluded that driving with a BAC level of just 0.01 can increase your chances of being involved in a serious car accident.

A look at the numbers

The study, which analyzed national data on fatal car crashes between 1994 and 2008, revealed that, even when only minimal amounts of alcohol were detected in the blood of the drivers, there were 4.33 serious injuries for every non-serious injury, as opposed to 3.17 serious injuries for drivers without alcohol in their system.

"Accidents are 36.6 percent more severe even when alcohol was barely detectable in a driver's blood," said David Phillips, the study author.

Possible explanations for these findings

According to the researchers, there are three potential factors to explain these findings. A single drink can result in a "buzz." Buzzed drivers, as opposed to sober drivers, may be more likely to:

Drive at higher speeds
Not be properly buckled
Be the driver of the striking vehicle

A Dallas car accident can be serious and leave you or a loved one with a debilitating injury. If you or someone you know is injured in an accident, contact one of our experienced Dallas car accident attorneys at the law office of Kay Van Wey. We can be reached at (214) 329-1350 or (800) 489-5082.

Don't hesitate to contact Kay Van Wey at (800)489-5082 for a free, no obligation consultation.

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