Find Out Exactly How Alcohol Can Increase Your Risk of a St. Petersburg Car Accident

Studies constantly prove that drinking and driving is never the right choice. Half of all highway deaths are a result of alcohol consumption. Every year, thousands of people are killed in drunk driving accidents. The chances of a St. Petersburg car accident are high when at least half of all drivers admit to driving occasionally after drinking. This is alarming especially with the fact that 3 out of every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related collision at some point in their lives.

The Florida state alcohol law is a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08%. An average-build, 150-pound person's BAC is raised from 0.02 to 0.03% after one drink consumed within one hour. This one drink will not only lower your inhibitions, it will also double your chances of being involved in a crash. Three to four drinks raises the BAC from 0.06 to 0.09% and significantly impairs judgment, hearing, speech, and balance. The characteristics of a sober driver are sound physical skills, coordination, physical condition, and mental skills. One drink is enough to lower these skills needed to keep yourself and others out of an alcohol-related collision.



How do you detect an impaired driver? According to AAA's page, Impaired Drivers - How to Spot Them, What to Do, you should look for the following signs:


• Driving too slow or too fast for conditions.
• Crossing the center line repeatedly.
• Signaling inconsistent with driving.
• Swerving, weaving or drifting between lanes and the sides of the road.
• Accelerating and braking rapidly.
• Driving with the headlights off at night, or failing to dim high beams.
• Making wider turns than necessary.
• Responding slowly to traffic signals (sudden stops, delayed starts).
• Driving into opposing traffic.
• Driving too closely to other vehicles or objects.
• Stopping without cause.
• Turning abruptly or illegally.

By knowing the behaviors of an impaired driver, you will be able to stay alert to the possibility of a serious Florida drunk driving accident. If the above warning signs are noticed please do your best to get as far away from that vehicle as possible. Once you are safely away from the vehicle, call your local police station (if this number is unknown then call 911) and report the license plate and physical description of the car, and the road and direction in which the drunk driver is traveling.

If you have been injured in a car accident in St. Petersburg or in a surrounding city, contact an experienced St. Petersburg car accident attorney at the Law Offices of William K. Saron, P.A. at 727-345-4566 or (866) 836-4947.