Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers | April 10, 2025 | Car Accidents
Many people know that the “legal limit” for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in Florida is .08%. Typically, this is the minimum threshold that law enforcement officers will look for before making an arrest for DUI in Florida. This doesn’t mean it is safe to drive with a lower BAC or that anyone can drive if they’ve had only one or two drinks.
Alcohol affects everyone differently, and any amount of alcohol can impair a person’s ability to drive. A driver can be arrested for a DUI in Florida if their driving was visibly impaired or they caused a car accident. Far worse, though, is the damage that can be caused when an impaired driver causes an accident and injures others on the road.
How Alcohol Can Affect Drivers
Alcohol is dangerous because it can impair someone’s physical abilities and mental judgment before they realize they are impaired.
Even one or two drinks can impact a person’s physical and mental abilities, including:
- Vision
- Judgment
- Overall awareness
- Reaction times
- Concentration
Alcohol’s effects on a person can vary depending on weight, genetics, alcohol tolerance, and other factors. Alcoholic drinks have absolutely no positive effect on a person’s ability to drive. Even after one drink, a person’s judgment and reaction time can be slowed just enough to cause a severe accident. Unfortunately, it is a common belief that people can drive safely as long as they are below .08% BAC. While Florida DUI law uses .08% as a general minimum, drivers can be dangerous at levels below that.
How Alcohol Affects the Body and Mind
Alcohol’s impact on the body can vary from person to person and depends on the number of drinks consumed. A person’s physical and mental impairment can accelerate quickly in certain situations. A person’s BAC will rise with each drink consumed, but the effects will begin immediately after consuming one drink.
Alcohol will generally affect people in the following ways:
- One Drink (BAC of about 0.02%): The ability to focus, multitask, and keep track of moving objects can be impacted. One drink can make it harder for a driver to track other vehicles or pedestrians on or near the road.
- Two Drinks (BAC of about 0.05%): A driver’s coordination and reaction time can become limited. Issues with steering, shifting gears, turning, or braking can become obvious—potentially leading to accidents.
- Three to Four Drinks (BAC of about 0.08%): A driver can reach the level of legal intoxication, with concentration and vision being seriously affected. Intoxicated drivers can run red lights, ignore stop signs, change lanes randomly, and drive erratically. The risk of an accident is significantly increased at this level.
- Five to Six Drinks (BAC of about 0.10%): Drivers will face challenges processing new information and observing visual cues. A driver at this level of intoxication can easily lose control of their vehicle.
- Six or More Drinks (BAC of about 0.15% or higher): Visual and motor skills can decline dramatically after six or more alcoholic drinks. A drunk driver at this level can quickly cause a car accident that is severe or even catastrophic.
Starting from the very first drink, alcohol diminishes a driver’s ability to navigate the roads safely. If you think it is safe to drive after only one drink, you are mistaken.
Contact Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers For Help Today
Drunk driving is a dangerous and negligent act. When an impaired driver causes a car accident, others can be seriously injured. The driver who took the wheel after drinking should be held responsible for the damage caused. A Florida personal injury lawyer can fight for your financial recovery as you focus on your physical and emotional recovery after an accident. Call one today to schedule a free consultation.
For more information, please contact the Stuart, Port St. Lucie, or Palm Beach Gardens personal injury law firm of Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
We proudly serve Martin County, St. Lucie County, Palm Beach County, and its surrounding areas in Florida:
Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Stuart
73 SW Flagler Ave
Stuart, FL 34994
(772) 444-7000
Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Port St. Lucie
1100 SW St. Lucie West Blvd. Ste 202
Port St Lucie, FL 34986
(772) 247-3374
Kibbey Wagner Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Palm Beach Gardens
300 Avenue of the Champions Ste 220
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
(561) 944-4000
--------------------------------------------------