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A new study suggests that even one single glass of wine or beer can raise blood-alcohol concentrations enough to increase the risk of an automobile accident. The study was published in the journal Addiction, and researchers analyzed national data on fatal automobile accidents during 1994 and 2008. If the study is accurate, it means that there is a greater chance for an automobile accident in Jacksonville Florida and surrounding North Florida areas when a driver gets behind the wheel after consuming an alcoholic beverage.
According to the study, no amount of alcohol was safe for driving. The investigators found that even with minimal amounts of alcohol in a driver’s blood, there were 4.33 serious injuries for every non-serious injury compared to 3.17 serious injuries for sober drivers. The author of the study, David Phillips, a sociologist at the University of California, San Diego, said that ‘accidents are 36.6 percent more severe even when alcohol was barely detectable in a driver’s blood.’
The researchers found three factors that help explain their findings. Philips said that “buzzed” drivers were more likely to speed, improperly wear their seat belts and drive the striking vehicle. In addition, the researchers found a relationship between the driver’s alcohol consumption and the above factors. For example, the greater the driver’s blood-alcohol concentration, the greater the average speed of their vehicle and the more severe the resulting accident.
The authors of the study said that the new findings should encourage U.S. law makers to enact stricter laws against driving under the influence. For more information on this study see, Study: Even one Glass of Beer, Wine Boosts Car Crash Risk.