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How can you know what your blood alcohol level is?
But you should also know that legal limits require a legal drinking age (21), that the legal limit is different in some states than others, and that the
limits may soon be changing in your state. The federal government recently passed legislation that encourages states to reduce the legal limit to 0.08 by withholding federal funds for state highway improvements until the state lowers the legal limit ot 0.08. Currently, 18 states and the District of Columbia already have the 0.08 limit. Other states are expected to follow over the next few years.
You should also know how alcohol effects the function of your brain. It might help you realize the importance of having a legal limit for operating machinery (such as a car, a bus, an airplane).
Effect of Blood Alcohol Levels on Brain Function
It's not tough or cool to risk your life (you only have one) or someone else's life.
Don't be fooled by big talk from other people who try to make you feel you're not cool if you don't drink and drive. Don't be fooled by their big talk that a few drinks won't matter, you won't get caught, you won't be the one who has the accident.
How silly is that?
How can you or anyone else know you won't have an accident? But if you have an accident with alcohol in your system, it's worse for you than if the accident happened without alcohol.
Don't be fooled by friends who say they've just had a couple of drinks and try to get you to ride with them while they drive! Offer to drive for them. Try to take their keys away. Don't let your friends drive drunk! Call a taxi for them. Offer to bring their car home later or pick it up for them the next day. Drinking and Driving is one of the deadliest forms of alcoholism: it kills fast, and it kills a lot. Mostly young people, and not necessarily those who are at fault, get hurt. Even when death is not an outcome, consequences from car crashes are devastating: disability, trauma, death, guilt, etc. Entire lives are affected.
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