7 Impaired Driving Myths Debunked
Drunk driving is still a serious problem. Some people think they are invincible or drive better than they actually do when they’ve had one too many. Others think the law does not apply to them, or try to find ways to get around it.
Using knowledge from police officers, lawyers, and experts from CAA-Québec and the SAAQ (Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec), let’s debunk seven myths related to impaired driving.
- Also: 5 Myths About Drugs and Driving
- Also: U.S. Authorities Want to Mandate Anti-Drunk Driving Tech in All New Cars
1. “I Know a Trick to Lower My Blood Alcohol Level”
Sorry, but only time will do the trick. Taking a cold shower, a strong coffee, an energy drink, running or dancing will not decrease the effects of alcohol. You must wait for your liver to do its work. Eating after a night of partying will not help either. The alcohol is already in your blood and it’s too late.
2. “Don’t Worry, I’m Not Going Very Far”
When we know the road well, we tend to be less careful and put ourselves on “autopilot”, which decreases our alertness. This causes our reaction times to become slower, and it gets even worse when under the influence of alcohol. That explains why a greater number of accidents happen close to home.
3. “I Haven’t Been Drinking for an Hour!”
Remember that your blood alcohol level will continue to rise after your last drink and will peak about an hour later. Also, if you’ve been drinking a lot, one hour is not enough. As a matter of fact, to remove 70 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, your body will need almost five hours.
4. “I’m Below 0.08, There’s No Danger”
Alcohol is not the only thing that can impair your ability to drive. Several other factors might have an impact: tiredness, drugs, medications, illness, etc. A police officer can arrest you even if your blood alcohol level is below 0.08 (80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood), if you fail a movement coordination test for example.
5. “No Big Deal, I’m Not on a Public Road”
The Criminal Code applies to all motor vehicles, no matter where they are used. If you’ve been drinking alcohol before driving a car, an ATV, a tractor or any other vehicle powered by a motor, you can be arrested and charged with impaired driving. Also take note that the breathalysers found outside bars or in their restrooms—as well as those you can buy elsewhere—can measure your blood alcohol level, but they can’t measure your ability to drive.
6. “I Can Drink in a Car if I’m Not driving”
According to article 443 of Quebec’s Highway Safety Code, “no occupant of a road vehicle may drink alcoholic beverages or consume cannabis or other drug,” There’s some sort of tolerance for limousines, it’s true, although the law is pretty clear.
7. “I Can Sleep in My Car to Sober Up Before Hitting the Road”
The Criminal Code still applies even if the vehicle’s engine is not running. So, it’s illegal to be drunk inside a car with the keys in your possession. As soon as a person enters a motor vehicle with the ignition key, he or she is deemed as having the custody and control of it.