Akanksha Arora • 14 Aug 2024
Why Should You Not Drive When Under The Influence Of Alcohol?
Why Should You Not Drive When Under The Influence Of Alcohol? (Image: iStock)
BTS' Suga was recently caught for riding an electric scooter while being under the influence of alcohol. Driving under the influence (DUI) is a severe criminal offense. It is when an individual operates a motorized vehicle while their blood alcohol content (BAC) is above the legal limit. The consequences of a DUI can be far-reaching, including prison time, license suspension, and heavy financial penalties such as fines and court costs. However, Suga's DUI case led to the origin of a rather dangerous challenge: #SugaChallenge
Dubbed the #SugaChallenge, it is absolutely against the law as it involves violating traffic laws by drinking and recklessly driving. Netizens who are taking part in the said challenge share a snap of themselves holding an alcohol bottle while seated in their car. As per many people, the sarcastic challenge was started by Suga's fans to show support for him following the drunk driving incident.
Why Is Driving Banned After Drinking Or What Exactly Happens To Your Body?
Alcohol causes very obvious alterations in behavior. It affects almost all the physical skills we need for driving safely. It can interfere with attention, perceptual functioning and motor skills, as well as in decision making while driving.
According to a study, drinking impairs the ability to drive and increases the risk of causing an accident. "The effects of alcohol consumption on driving-related functions are modulated by some factors, such as form of consumption (regular or infrequent), expectations about their consumption, expertise in driving and driver’s age. The increased risk of accident starts at a lower blood alcohol level when drivers are inexperienced or they are occasional drinkers, and begins at a higher blood alcohol level when these are more experienced drivers or regular drinkers," read the 2015 study published in BMC.
What Is The Psychology Behind Drunk Driving?
- Stress and negative emotions: Stress and negative emotions can often impair judgment and reduce an individual’s level of self-control. This can further lead to risk-seeking behavior such as operating a vehicle while impaired.
- Personality traits: Often, personality traits like impulsivity and sensation-seeking can trigger dangerous real-world behaviours - such as choosing to drive under influence.
- Personality disorders: A research has concluded that a person's personality can massively impact their risk of committing a DUI offense. People with certain personality disorders are more likely to drive while impaired than those without a personality disorder.
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