Drunk driving is a danger to everyone on the roads, yourself included. However, many people end up being accused of drunk driving even though they didn’t realize they had too much to drink or that they were still intoxicated. People sometimes go by myths to determine if it’s safe to drive, but that can be a risk.
Here’s an example. Did you know that drinking coffee doesn’t actually do anything to sober you up? Many people describe coffee and caffeine as a good way to wake up for a drive home, but it doesn’t actually reduce your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). The only way to do that is by waiting an hour or two for the drink of alcohol you had to metabolize to a safe level.
Another common myth about drinking is that you can go to sleep to “sleep off” alcohol you had to drink. There is really no way to sleep through intoxication unless you’re sleeping twice as many hours as drinks. The body still needs time to process the alcohol. For instance, if you have three standard drinks, you’ll need to sleep for six hours, on average, to process the alcohol and get back to a zero percent BAC. Everyone’s body is a little different, so that might take longer or less time for you.
Driving drunk is never safe, regardless of what you try to do to lower your BAC. Take your time and let the alcohol leave your system safely. Call for a ride; it’s safer and will help you avoid a life-changing DUI from drunk driving.