Summer Driving Safety: Avoiding a DUI after Memorial Day Weekend

In Washington D.C., temperatures are rising and it’s the perfect opportunity to head out and finally feel the warmth of the sunshine. Whether you are spending Memorial Day at a BBQ or are hitting the town to try one of the local rooftop eatery experiences like Perry’s, relax into summer safely by keeping the following tips in mind.

Don’t drink – instead, offer to be the designated driver and stick to it. The best way to avoid a DUI or drunk driving accident is to avoid drinking entirely. If your turn has come to drive your group home, it may be time to return the favor for your friends if they’ve kindly driven you home in the past.

Request a cab service. If your entire group wants to drink, an Uber or taxi service could be a better solution. This could be the simplest option on this list, but it is also a pricier one.

Be sure to eat beforehand. Alcohol can hit someone much harder if they are dehydrated or have an empty stomach. Eat dense carbs, fats, and proteins before any alcohol, if you choose to drink. Cheese, meat, yogurt, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can nourish your body adequately if you haven’t had a big meal recently.

Keep track of your drinks. Remember that standard portions of wine, beer, and hard liquor contain the same volume of alcohol. A breathalyzer will detect one 12 fl. oz. beer the same as a 5 fl. oz. glass of wine, which will be identified the same as a 1.5 fl. oz. shot of hard liquor.

Err on the side of caution. Breathalyzers may not always be reliable, which is why it may be beneficial to ensure that your BAC is much lower than the legal alcohol limit. Being cautious can keep you from drinking too much in the eyes of the law, and it can also be a lifesaver.

Consider how much time you have. Stop drinking 90 minutes before you expect you’ll need to drive. Alcohol exits the bloodstream slower than it enters it, which is another reason to be cautious. BAC levels can continue to rise after a person has stopped drinking because the liver is only capable of processing about one alcoholic drink every hour.

Have water between alcoholic beverages. Not only will this help you to pace yourself, but it can also reduce hangover symptoms. Alcohol can add to weight gain, it can cause leaky gut, and it can harm the microbiota of the gut. Having a non-alcoholic beverage between alcoholic drinks is a simple trick to slow down consumption.

Get an at-home breathalyzer. These also may be inaccurate at times when they have not been calibrated, which is why it is imperative to go easy on the drinks if you have to drive. If you think that you may have partied too hard, a breathalyzer can tell you how much alcohol you’ve actually had.