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Can having less than one drink impair your driving?

I was the designated driver last weekend for an outing with some friends. Halfway through the night, one of my friends bought a round of cocktails and the bartender accidentally made one extra. I didn’t want it to go to waste, so I had some. Another friend got annoyed at me for drinking when I’m supposed to be driving, but I didn’t finish it. Am I safe to drive if I’ve had less than one or two drinks?

avatar
Vina Geralde · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Hey, you’re a good friend for volunteering to be the DD for your group. And while we totally understand that you didn’t think you were putting yourself at risk, having less than one drink can still impair your driving.
So, the best advice is to abstain from alcohol entirely if you plan to get behind the wheel.
Alcohol affects people differently, largely based on a person’s physical size. While one drink can result in a low blood-alcohol content (BAC) for one person, it can result in a higher BAC for another.
And in each case, impairment can happen at any BAC. Even one drink can cause a buzz for some people, which may negatively impact their ability to drive. To make matters worse, it can also impact someone’s perception of how drunk they actually are.
The moral of the story is predictable: simply don’t drink and drive. It’s not worth risking your safety or the safety of others—or the potential black mark on your
driving record
.
If you do get a DUI, your car insurance rates will skyrocket. But even with a clean record, you might be paying too much. You can find out by downloading
Jerry
.
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MORE: How to get car insurance with a bad driving record
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