PinDespite the countless warnings and education and public awareness programs, harsher penalties, and various efforts by law enforcement agencies across the United States, people continue to get behind the wheel of their vehicles while impaired by alcohol. Drivers do not realize or fully understand the grave consequences of their actions and the impact it has on both their lives and the lives of others.

According to drunk driving statistics in 2009, a total of 10,839 traffic fatalities resulted from alcohol-impaired driving accidents, and there are even more incidents of DWI resulting in bodily injury. Reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that vehicular wrecks are the primary cause of death in the U.S. for persons under 24 years of age. Of these deaths, over 40 percent of them are alcohol-related.

Below are four of the top reasons that impaired drivers are so dangerous on the road.

1. Slow Reaction Time

Alcohol can slow down your brain functions, which means that you take a longer amount of time to make a decision than you normally would. Your reflexes diminish and your reaction time increases. Your eyes are also slower, and tend to remain focus on the same object for a longer period of time. If a traffic light suddenly changes or a car approaches from a side street, a slower reaction time could lead to fatal consequences.

2. Poor Decision Making

Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol before getting behind the wheel can greatly affect your sense of judgment, as well as your depth perception and vital motor skills necessary to safely operate a motor vehicle. You may not realize how close other objects and vehicles are to you, and may be unable to judge speed and distances properly. Even your perspective of space narrows when impaired.

3. Affect Ability to Multi-Task

Driving while drunk can take away your ability to concentrate on steering the wheel properly, stay within the speed limit, and keep an eye on your surroundings at the same time. When impaired by alcohol, you are less likely to notice traffic signs, pedestrians, bikers, or vehicles coming from the opposite side. You may also end up with tunnel vision, and tend to look more straightforward and fail to look to your left or right.

4. False Sense of Confidence

Alcohol can make you feel more confident than you normally would be, letting you take risks that you would not usually take. Being overconfident could lead to reckless and dangerous driving, which is overly dangerous as drivers are not aware of how deteriorated their driving skills have become after drinking. Unfortunately, having alcohol in your system will also leave you less able to deal with unexpected events properly.

Source: Drunk Driving Research, published on http://responsibility.org/drunk-driving/drunk-driving-research.