Can You Get Drunker As You’re Driving?

Most people try hard not to drink and drive. The consequences of driving while you are intoxicated are so severe that it is just not worth it. On top of fines and possible jail time, drinking and driving comes with the serious risk of having an accident that results in someone’s death or injury. Unfortunately, it is easy to accidentally drive while you are drunk if you don’t fully understand how your body processes alcohol. Even having one or two drinks at a restaurant could lead you to make a big mistake. When you are wondering can you get drunker while you are driving, it is possible that you’ve already been put into a dangerous position.

Drinking responsibly is something that everything wants to do. However, this is often hard for people who have a predisposition toward addiction or who face social pressure to keep throwing the drinks back. The good news is that you do have options if you feel like you might drink so much that you can’t drive. Having a backup plan, such as calling for a ride share service, is the best way to avoid any consequences from having a drink or two. You can also use this guide to understand how alcohol is metabolized along with some basic tips to figure out if you might have a drinking problem that needs treatment.

Find Out How Alcohol Affects Your Body

When you drink alcohol, your body instantly goes to work processing what you consume. A small amount of alcohol is immediately absorbed through your stomach. This is why you may begin to feel the effects of the alcohol in your bloodstream rather quickly after the first few sips. Then, about 80% is absorbed through your small intestine. This takes a little longer for the alcohol to begin to get though your system. Your liver also plays a role in the metabolization of alcohol by breaking it down and filtering out toxins. Keep in mind that your liver can only do so much at once.

As a general rule, the liver is able to process one alcoholic beverage an hour. There are many factors that influence how long it takes for the liver to actually process the drink. People who are older tend to have slower metabolisms. This can cause a person to continue to feel the effects of drinking long after they stopped. Someone who is lightweight may also notice the effects of alcohol are stronger simply because there is more of it in their bloodstream. If you’ve eaten recently, then the effects of alcohol may not be as strong since the food might absorb some of the beverage. Taking certain medications can also heighten the effects of alcohol, which is why you should avoid drinking if the label says to use caution with alcohol. Drinking many beverages in a short period of time also overwhelms your body’s system. Binge drinking can easily lead to you continuing to have your blood alcohol levels increase while you are driving.

Check for the Other Signs of an Alcohol Addiction

If you’ve ever feared a drink driving incident, then you may have an issue with alcohol. Drinking more than you plan to on more than one occasion is a sign of an addiction. This is because some people lose control over how much they drink once they have their first sip. Alcohol addiction also comes with other signs that include the following:

•having more than one to two drinks a day
•consuming more than four drinks in two hours
•hearing friends and family express their concerns
•having unexplained injuries after drinking
•experiencing blackouts
•dealing with work or relationship problems due to excessive drinking

Noticing the signs of alcohol addiction may be scary, but there are many resources available to help. You can also stop drinking too much alcohol before you run into more serious legal issues such as having a drunk driving incident.

Avoid Drunk Driving Incidents With Help From an Addiction Recovery Center

Law enforcement agencies take drunk driving seriously, and it doesn’t matter if you felt sober before you got behind the wheel. If you frequently drink enough that you continue to feel drunker after you stop, then it is time to seek help. Addiction recovery centers are open to helping people just like you who need to get sober before they face serious trouble.

Have you been worried about being drunk while driving? If so, we can help you figure out if you have an addiction to alcohol that requires professional treatment. Give us a call today at 844-639-8371!

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