Even for those who consider themselves to be teetotallers, occasional drinking can lead to occasional lapse in judgment. When we’re under the influence, it’s not always easy to keep control of our actions, especially when driving. For those who have a love for the finer things in life, getting behind the wheel after drinking can be a real curse. While it might be tempting to think that the answer is simply to avoid drinking and driving, that’s only if you’re lucky enough to be able to control your actions. The reality for a lot of us is that we’ll inevitably find ourselves in a situation where we have to drive after drinking. Thankfully, you can take steps to ensure that your actions are always under control, regardless of what happens. That way, you’ll never be at risk of hurting yourself or others. If you want to keep your liberty to drink whenever you please, you need to be sure that your actions are always in line with your intentions. To eliminate all risks when drinking and driving, you need to be sure that you are following all the right steps. Here are some of the most important ones:
Choose The Right Liquor
While we’re on the topic of driving, let’s discuss the issue of what type of liquor to drink when behind the wheel. As you may know, in most places, it’s against the law to drink and drive. But that doesn’t mean that any old alcohol will do. In some situations, you may want to avoid certain types of liquor altogether. If you’re going to be driving in a dangerous neighborhood or on a dangerous road, you may want to stay away from drink altogether. Of course, that’s not always possible. If you’re going to be in a neighborhood where there are no police patrols or signs prohibiting drinking, you may as well get creative with your choices and have fun. That being said, it’s still important to keep safety in mind. Never, ever choose liquor that you haven’t tested before. Even if you think that the bartender has tested it and assured you that it’s safe to drink, you’re still better off being safe than sorry. When you’re in a situation where you feel like you’re taking a risk, it’s always a good idea to play it safe and just avoid getting behind the wheel. Besides, if you’re going to be driving anyway, might as well have something good to drink, right?
Don’t Drink And Text
The risks associated with drinking and driving don’t end there. If you’re going to be texting while driving, you’re adding another dangerous factor to the equation. Not only are you putting your life in danger by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but you’re also endangering the people around you. Despite what most people think, it’s actually not that easy to multitask while driving. You’ve got a lot on your mind, and being able to focus fully on your driving is difficult. If you’re going to be driving anyway, there’s no point in adding another layer of complexity by texting. If you absolutely have to text, there are better alternatives than your usual method of sending short messages. You can download apps that will allow you to text with only your eyes. That way, you’ll be able to keep your eyes on the road ahead of you and not on your phone. In addition, if you’re going to be driving on unfamiliar or complicated roads, you might want to consider hiring a driver. That way, you can focus on the road and not worry about navigating. He or she can take care of the driving for you, so you can sit back and enjoy your alcoholic beverage. Once you’ve decided that you’ve had enough, he or she can help you find a suitable location to park, so you can have a safely trip back home. If you insist on driving yourself, at the very least, don’t text and drink. That’s a recipe for disaster. Keep your phone in your pocket, don’t use it while driving, and drink only what’s inside specified limits. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a situation where you’ll end up in a car accident. That’s not something you want to experience, if you can help it.
Use Hand-Held Phone While Driving
Even when you’re not driving, using your phone while walking is usually not a good idea. That’s because most phones that you hold in your hand have a great deal of sensitivity, and it’s easy for them to be affected by even the smallest vibrations. When you’re driving a car, the slightest movement can be problematic. That’s why it’s best to use a hand-held phone to make calls while driving. The benefits of using a hand-held phone are numerous. First of all, you won’t have to hold the phone close to your ear, which can be potentially dangerous if you do it for too long. Second, if you’re going to be using your phone anyway, there’s no point in having it near your ear, where it can potentially be damaged or fall off. Third, you can use your phone’s voice recorder while driving, which can be beneficial in case you have to file a police report after a car accident. Finally, if your hands are free, you can use them to take care of the driving. That way, you’ll stay relaxed and enjoy your time in the car. Besides, it’s always nice when the person behind the wheel is not distracted by the need to check their phone. That way, they can better focus on driving and keep their eyes open for any potential hazards or roadblocks. In short, it’s best when everyone in the car is focused on the safe driving, not on their phones or other things. Hand-held phones were made for this reason, to reduce the risk of accidents due to distracted driving.
Avoid Drifting
This one may sound like it’s no big deal, but when you’re driving on a road with no signage or no other cars around, it’s easy for your car to drift out of its lane. This is mostly an issue when you’re driving on a winding road or on a country road. If you’re going to be driving on such roads frequently, you may want to consider getting a radar detector. The detector can monitor your car’s position in relation to other vehicles as well as warn you of any impending dangers. Besides, it can also help you stay within your lane. While you might not think that this is an important point to make, it is. The reason is that a lot of drivers don’t pay attention to their lanes or signs, so they end up in unexpected places, resulting in accidents. Having a sign or lane markings would help keep you organized and save you from getting lost. As for the winding roads and country lanes issue, if you must go there, then do so carefully and be prepared to take a longer route back home. Alternatively, you can use a sat nav to follow a route that will get you where you’re going without taking any unnecessary risks.
Keep Your Eyes Open
This one may seem obvious, yet a lot of people don’t really pay attention when they’re driving. You can’t be everywhere at once, so you’d better be looking out for potential problems. While you may think that you can just focus on the road ahead of you, that’s not necessarily the case. Even if everything looks fine, it can be difficult to stay alert and aware of your surroundings. This is why you need to take care of this one personally. You drive when you’re tired, you drive when you’re in a hurry, and sometimes you even drive when you’re feeling adventurous. At the end of the day, you need to make sure that you’re doing what’s necessary to reach your destination safely. That means keeping your eyes open and being observant of your surroundings. It’s not always easy, but as long as you do it occasionally, you’ll never be at risk of hurting yourself or others. In most cases, simple precautions can help prevent accidents. For example, if there’s bad weather or road conditions that could potentially affect your safety, then you might want to choose a different route. If you’re going to be in a strange or unfamiliar place, then it’s always better to be safe than sorry. That way, you don’t run the risk of being in an accident that might injure or kill you. Keep your eyes open, be observant of your surroundings, and above all, be careful not to drink and drive. It’s not worth it.
As you can see, there are numerous ways in which your driving can be potentially dangerous. Even when everything seems fine, you’re always putting yourself in danger by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s why it’s important to always be thinking about the safest way to get from point A to point B, instead of just doing what you normally do. In the end, as long as you keep all of this in mind, you’ll never be at risk of hurting yourself or others. Just remember to take care of your car as responsibly as possible, because the last thing you want is to get rid of it due to excessive wear and tear.