Imagine that a person always tries to avoid drunk driving. That means taking the bus or a cab — or an Uber — home from the bar. It means catching a ride home from a party. It means never getting behind the wheel after a night of drinking.
However, imagine that this person also has to work early in the morning. A lot of people work those early shifts with a slight hangover, trying to shake off last night’s fun.
This is potentially very dangerous. That person could still be driving while intoxicated. This could lead to an arrest or a serious accident.
The problem is that many people do not realize how long it takes their body to metabolize the alcohol you consume. A single drink often takes a full two hours. Experts note that it doesn’t matter if you eat a big meal or drink coffee or take a shower or do anything else to “sober up.” Your body still needs two hours for every drink.
So, if that person gets home late after having eight to ten drinks with friends, sleeps for six hours and then tries to drive to work, 100 percent of that alcohol has not made it all the way through his or her system yet. Many people wake up drunk without even realizing it. They think they’re being safe, but they still put themselves and others at risk.
If you get hit by a drunk driver on your way to work in the morning, it is very important to know what rights you have to financial compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other costs.