Have you ever stopped to really think about how drunk driving can affect you? When driving drunk, you could cause serious injuries and expensive property damage. But it can also cause you a lot of problems legally and financially. Even if you aren’t hurt in an accident, you could hurt someone else, and this widens the circle of people affected? So what exactly does drunk driving do to you?

Health

When people drink, their reaction times slow, which increases their rates of getting into accidents both on and off the road. On the road, the alcohol makes some people feel too relaxed and almost fall asleep while driving. For others, the alcohol makes others feel too active and cause them to drive too fast. In either way, drunk people do not react normally to normal situations. Because of this, most accidents involving drunk drivers have serious injuries or fatalities. In fact,Alpert Schreyer reports that 40 percent of fatal car accidents involve someone driving under the influence.

Finances

Drunk driving puts a strong dent in your finances. You are probably going to get caught, especially if you make a habit of it. Thefines for drunk driving are pretty steep since this is a serious offense. And you probably aren’t going to able to convince the judge to reduce your fine the way you occasionally can with less serious traffic violations. If you get in an accident, your insurance is going to go through the roof as well and you will probably have to shell out a decent amount of money to fix your car.

Jail Time

Drunk driving could land youin jail for months or years, depending on the number of offenses and whether you hurt or killed someone. The court system is overflowing with DUI cases, including a number of DUI-related manslaughter cases. You place another burden on your family by having them bail you out of jail. This goes on your record permanently, and depending on the severity of the offense, it may affect your future occupational chances.

Emotional State

You may not be thinking clearly while you are drunk, but imagine you hit someone and seriously hurt or kill them. What is that going to do to you when you sober up? Theguilt will linger for a long time, especially since the accident probably could have been avoided if you hadn’t been drinking.

It’s never a good idea to drink and drive, no matter how many times you have done it before. If you are out and drinking, make sure you have a designated driver or an alternative method of transportation so you aren’t even tempted.