Summer is a great time of the year. The trees are bursting with life, the kids are out of school, and the highways are packed with drivers going on road trips or to summer events. Because it’s such a busy time of the year, it’s easy to forget that summer time is also one of the busiest times of the year for drunk drivers.

But you don’t have to blow over .08 on a breathalyzer or have 3 or 4 drinks to be too drunk to drive—even one drink can cause you to lose your hand/eye coordination, affect your vision, and alter your reflexes so that you can’t be responsible behind the wheel, and that’s why buzzed driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving.

Buzzed driving is when you’ve only had one or two drinks and you’re just starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. Although it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 in all states, having that one drink can result in a driving under the influence (DUI), driving while impaired (DWI), or you crashing your vehicle. It happens all too often in the summer months, and that’s why people need to realize that driving while buzzed can be just as dangerous as driving while over .08.

If you want to stay safe this summer, here’s a few tips:

Always choose a designated driver, even when you think you’ll only have one drink
Don’t trust your judgement when you’ve been drinking—call a cab or use a service like Uber to get home after having a few drinks
Make a plan to get home before you start drinking. That way you don’t have to worry that you’ll make the mistake of drinking and driving
If you’re friends are going to drive after drinking, ask them for their keys and help them find a way home

Summer only happens once per year, so make sure you enjoy it by choosing to always drive sober.

About Matt Talley