That adds up to more than a half million alcohol-related injuries each year. Beyond that, there is an alcohol-related fatality every 22 minutes. To reduce drunk driving and the tragic losses it causes, attitudes toward drinking and driving must change. Many people think that simply by driving more carefully, they can offset alcohol s effect on their ability to control a car. This is absolutely not true.
Alcohol slows down reflexes.
It blurs vision. It lessens reaction time and hinders concentration and motor skills. Alcohol impairs the very skills people need to be safe drivers. Only one beer can elevate a person s blood-alcohol content to 0.02 percent, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Always remember that driving carefully is not enough.