You may have heard people talk about the link between fatigued driving and drunk driving. In a lot of cases, they lead to similar symptoms. A fatigued driver may nod off for a second and drift over the center line, for instance, making a police officer believe they are impaired.
One important thing to remember is that there is a connection between these two issues. Studies have found that someone who is overly fatigued will often suffer a greater impact from a smaller amount of alcohol. Someone who wouldn’t ordinarily be feel drunk may feel that way, for example, if they are also sleep-deprived.
Staying under the legal limit
In one study, participants were given enough alcohol to get their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) up to 0.05%. Notably, this is still under the legal limit of 0.08% that applies to most adult drivers.
The participants in the study who were sleep-deprived at the time reported that they felt more intoxicated or impaired than they expected. They reported greater levels of intoxication than other participants who got a normal amount of sleep.
Additionally, researchers found that sleep-deprived individuals with a BAC of 0.05% had notably slower reaction times and worse attention spans. Both of these issues could be very serious on the road. They could cause a driver to miss changes to traffic conditions around them or to fail to respond properly to things like a light turning red. These mistakes could lead to a traffic stop.
Are you facing a DUI charge?
This helps to show the complications that can arise from drinking alcohol while feeling excessively fatigued, even if your BAC technically reads under the legal limit. If you do find yourself facing charges, you need to know what DUI defense options you have.
