How alcohol affects you
Alcohol affects everyone differently. Even small quantities will affect your ability to drive safely to some degree.If you’re thinking of drinking, don’t take the car. It’s not worth the risk.
These are some of the common effects alcohol can have on you:
Slowed reaction time
You may react slower than usual when something unexpected happens, like a car turning in front of you from a side street, traffic lights changing colour or people suddenly crossing the road.
Poor judgment
You may have trouble judging how fast you are driving and the speed of other vehicles around you. You may also have problems judging distances.
Impaired vision and hearing
After drinking, a driver tends to focus on the road straight ahead and avoids what’s happening in their side vision. You may not see cars approaching from side streets or people crossing the road, or may not hear a car horn.
Poor coordination
You may have trouble doing more than one thing at a time, especially in an emergency.
Over confidence
You may feel more confident after a few drinks but in fact, you will be less able to cope with unexpected events. You might take risks that you would not normally take.
Drugs and Alcohol
The effects of alcohol can be especially dangerous when combined with other drugs, magnifying the effects of sleeping pills, cannabis, prescribed medicines including antipsychotics, strong painkillers, and cold remedies.
Effects can be unpredictable when alcohol is combined with stimulants such as caffeine, cold remedies, appetite suppressants and amphetamines.
For more information on drinking and drugs, visit the Drug and Alcohol Services website.