PITTSBURGH — Many will visit with friends and families for New Year’s Eve parties and drink. In addition to reminding people of the dangers of driving under the influence, AAA East Central also reminds partygoers of the dangers of driving with a hangover.
“Driving hungover can be just as dangerous as driving after having a few drinks,” said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs for AAA East Central. “After a night of drinking, many people will wake up with alcohol still in their blood, or they will wake up tired and disoriented.”
According to the AAA DUI Justice Link, a resource to help reduce impaired driving, the only thing that will sober someone up is time.
It can take between 75-90 minutes or longer for the body to eliminate the alcohol contained in one standard-sized drink, which is longer than many people would assume.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of a hangover typically begin when your blood alcohol drops significantly and is at or near zero. Those symptoms can be dangerous to anybody behind the wheel, and can include:
“We wouldn’t advise that anybody drives with any of these symptoms, regardless of whether they are recovering from a night of drinking or not,” continued Podguski.
Tips for Avoiding DUI this New Year’s Eve:
Make transportation arrangements before you head out for the night. Some options include a designated driver, a cab or rideshare or public transit.
Rent a hotel room or stay overnight where you are.
If hosting a party, offer non-alcoholic drinks to designated drivers. If possible, provide overnight accommodations to guests who’ve been drinking.
Take the car keys away from friends and relatives who have had too much to drink.
Commit to never driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If you suspect a driver is under the influence, stay as far behind their vehicle as possible and as soon as it’s safe to do so, pull over and call 911.
Since you can’t control the actions of other drivers on the road, the best protection is to buckle up every time you get into a vehicle.
