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Fort Lauderdale Workers' Compensation Lawyer > Blog > Auto Accident > Study Finds Drivers Are Impaired Even At .01 BAC

Study Finds Drivers Are Impaired Even At .01 BAC

Everyone knows that a drunk driver can cause a deadly car accident; however, it may shock some people to learn that “buzzed” drivers are dangers to themselves and others on the road.  Even drivers with a slight “buzz” are more likely to be at fault for wrecks than sober drivers, according to a new study.

Lead author David Phillips, a sociologist at University of California, and his colleagues analyzed blood alcohol content measurements as well as blame for accidents in fatal car crashes between 1994 and 2011. After reviewing 570,000 collisions nationwide, they determined that no level of alcohol in the bloodstream is safe when it comes to driving.

Phillips said, “For the individual driver it means don’t drive while buzzed, and for a passenger, don’t get into a car with a driver who is buzzed. Find a way to make the sober one the driver.” The research results published in the journal Injury Prevention revealed that even drivers with a BAC of .01 percent were 46 percent more likely to be blamed for a crash than a sober driver.

Do You Know What Generates a .01 Percent BAC?

Just a half of one 12-ounce beer can produce a BAC of .01 percent on a breathalyzer test. Researchers found that as the blood alcohol content increased in a person, so did the chance of crashing and being the one at fault for the accident. Even drivers who had a slight “buzz” were found to be more likely at fault in a crash, according to the study.

As the first nationwide analysis on “buzzed” drivers, many may find this information shocking, but the authors of this study have made the following findings:

  • Even at .01 BAC, the speed a driver travels at correlates with the blood alcohol concentration

  • The higher a driver’s blood alcohol concentration, the more likely the driver won’t be wearing a seat belt

  • The more likely a driver will run into another vehicle as his or her blood alcohol concentration increases

The results of the study are clear. “The lower we can make the legal BAC, the safer everyone will be,” said Phillips.
Unfortunately Florida roads are filled with “buzzed” drivers at any given time of the day. If you have been injured in a Fort Lauderdale car crash as a result of a “buzzed” driver, please contact the Law Office of David Benenfeld for legal help. An experienced injury lawyer in South Florida will meet with you in a free consultation and explain to you your rights. Call 954-677-0155 today.

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