While the heat won’t make you drunk, it can increase the effects of alcohol.
On a hot summer’s day, few things sound more refreshing than a cool drink — perhaps even an alcohol beverage if you are at a party, a sporting event or have been working hard in the sun. While drinking alcohol after time in the sun — or while you’re having fun in the sun — is incredibly tempting, it can also be a dangerous choice. That is because the combination of alcohol and hot weather can lead to increased intoxication, and even to a DUI arrest.
Drinking alcohol can interfere with your balance, coordination and judgment. When you’re out in the sun, especially for prolonged periods of time, these effects can be heightened. If you are drinking when it’s hot outside, you can put yourself at risk for a DUI arrest, an alcohol-related illness or fatality or other issue — even if you haven’t had that much to drink.
In California, the legal limit for most drivers is a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 percent (lower for drivers with commercial drivers licenses and underage drivers). If you are driving with a BAC of .08 percent or higher, you will have a hard time steering appropriately, reacting to danger or even tracking objects on the road. If you are drinking when it is hot outside, you can reach that BAC much more easily than you could if you were drinking in other weather conditions.
That’s because alcohol is a diuretic, which means that it promotes dehydration. It also interferes with your body’s ability to regulate its own temperature and dilates your blood vessels. In warm weather, being dehydrated, being unable to control your body temperature and having dilated blood vessels can all be dangerous. Heat illnesses combined with alcohol intoxication can cause extreme health problems and even lead to death.
To avoid the effects of hot weather and alcohol on your body and to minimize your chances of getting a DUI, follow these tips from a DUI lawyer in Orange County:
- Drink plenty of non-alcoholic beverages, particularly water. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink.
- Remember that even moderate drinking — such as one drink for women and two for men — can put you at risk during hot weather activity.
- Your safest choice during hot weather is to not drink at all.
- If you are drinking during hot weather activity, be sure to have a sober friend to watch over you and others who are drinking.
- Never, ever drink and drive. Get a cab or an uber, have a designated driver, or plan to stay over wherever you are drinking.
If you are arrested and charged with a DUI, the Chambers Law Firm can help. Our team of experienced professionals has helped people charged with DUIs in Orange County and beyond get the best possible results for their case. We offer free initial consultations, where we explain your rights and options, and we will represent you throughout the case, from the initial administrative proceedings through the resolution of the criminal case. Contact our firm today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to speak to a top notch DUI lawyer in Orange County today!
