Everyone knows that drunk driving is dangerous. We learn this from a young age, thanks to public service announcements, ad campaigns and news stories.

Unfortunately, it remains a risk even if drivers take these warnings to heart and avoid driving under the influence. After all, one cannot control another driver’s decisions. And as many people might guess, recent research seems to confirm that even a low amount of alcohol in an individual’s system poses a danger to all other drivers on the road.

Study: No BAC is safe

Like most states, Georgia law has a legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of 0.08%. However, a study from March of this year indicates that in 15% of the fatal crashes that involve alcohol impairment, drivers have a BAC below the legal limit. And the other – non-impaired – drivers involved in these accidents made up 55% of the deaths in those situations.

The danger of alcohol impairment is so high because any level of alcohol can affect drivers. For example:

• A BAC of 0.02% may lead drivers to have vision difficulties, as well as trouble multi-tasking and tracking moving objects
• A BAC of 0.05% often leads to a loss of muscle control, low alertness and a slow response time
• And a BAC of 0.08% or near the legal limit affects almost all of a driver’s senses, balance and reaction time

There is no safe amount of alcohol that allows individuals to drive safely. The effects of impairment increase the risk of an accident, as well as the repercussions of an accident.

You must be on the defense when driving

Individual drivers can only control themselves and their own decisions – not other drivers on the road. That is the primary reason why it is critical to drive defensively at all times. To stay safe on the road, it is critical for Georgia drivers to:

• Be on the lookout for swerving, erratic behavior or other signs of drunk driving
• Steer clear of any drivers exhibiting this behavior
• Be extra careful when driving at high-risk times, including at night or around the holidays

Dangers on the road, like drunk drivers, can be unpredictable, but drivers must do what they can to drive safely and reduce the risk they face.