You should know how much is too much to drink!!
I am often asked “How much may I drink? ..and How much is too much to drink?”. Unfortunately these questions are seldom related to general health and are merely focused on the amount of alcohol that could result in an allowable breathalyser measurement!!
The questions should rather be “How much can I drink before my ability to drive is affected?”. The answer should be zero – and the focus should be on having a designated non-drinking driver to take you home!
If you are going to have one or 2 drinks now and then – purchase a breathalyser and keep it in your car to do self-testing before you go on the road!
Why is it both difficult and dangerous to advise on how much is too much to drink?
It is important to recognize that there are too many variables to provide an exact answer – and we can only provide a rough guide.
Many other factors determine the uptake of alcohol.
These factors include:
Volume, strength, type of dilutant ( eg Coke), type of meal, medication, previous operations, temp of drink, water content of organs, diffusion gradient, rate of blood flow, any GIT disease etc. The effects vary from person to person. No set pattern of behavior does exist. We do not wish to elaborate on all these factors. As you can probably deduct, there is not a simple answer to the question !!
It is important to understand that alcohol affects the cognitive functions of the intoxicated person. Driving is an action that requires good multitasking with the driver having to concentrate not only on steering the vehicle- but also road conditions, other vehicles and pedestrians, signs and traffic lights etc
We would rather like to recommend that you do not drink before you drive – and that you plan ahead and have a sober designated driver take you home!
Also view:
Drunk Driving and Car Insurance
Example of Person who should have known he had too much to drink!!
