What flimsy excuses won’t hold up after a drunk driving accident?

When you’re in an accident with a drunk driver, they may be responsible for covering some of your costs. Medical costs, lost wages and damaged property might all be on the line. With so much at stake, a driver might try to lean on old myths to talk you out of involving the authorities.

Kentucky sees thousands of alcohol-induced collisions every year. Those accidents routinely lead to injuries and fatalities, and the ones suffering may not have had a drop to drink. When you’re on the receiving end of someone’s mistake, make sure you know the tired old lines they may use to defend themselves.

Myths don’t matter

The truth is that science has shown that a few drinks really can lead to dangerous situations, and it was the driver’s responsibility to avoid getting behind the wheel. Make sure you know when myths are coming into play, and you may be able to bolster your claim with some legal backing. The process could begin with letting officers know that the other driver isn’t so innocent.

Truths in drinking

Some drivers play down the problem by relying on false facts to show they weren’t really that affected by drinking before driving:

• Types: One type of alcohol isn’t going to affect a person differently from another. The real measure is their blood alcohol content, or BAC. Just because they chose beer over hard liquor isn’t going to change the outcome if they consume the same amount of alcohol.
• Limits: A driver that isn’t over the legal limit can still be on the hook for impaired driving. Drinking can deliver a hit to reaction and reasoning with as little as a 0.04 BAC. These drivers may even feel more confident in their ability even though the opposite proves true.
• Sobering: The only thing that can sober up a driver is time. The liver processes most of the alcohol in the body, and it can take hours to finish the job. A person’s driving will not improve if they tried to sleep it off, drank some coffee or took a cold shower.

Don’t take another driver’s word for it. When someone else’s choice to drink and drive is apparent, it’s important you take steps to protect yourself and ensure a healthy recovery.