It only took 13 minutes for her world to end.
It was 10:30 PM and Krystal was just getting off work. Pregnant with her second child, Krystal’s face lit up as her husband Chris pulled in the parking lot to pick her up. He had brought their young daughter, Raven with so they could ride home as a family.
They didn’t know it at the time, but out on the roads was a reckless 19-year-old driver. He had been drinking, and never took the time to sober up. Only 13 minutes after driving away from work, he struck Krystal’s vehicle.
The little girl Raven had a major brain hemorrhage. She forgot faces, names, how to tie her shoes, and even how to eat. Her husband Chris, and the unborn child, never made it to the hospital.
Drinking and driving are one of the fastest ways to run your life. You can get a DUI, hurt yourself, or end another person’s entire world. Are you planning on having a few drinks for fun?
Read on to learn how long you should wait before attempting to drive.
Sober up Factors
Whether you’re going all out for a friend’s wedding, or just having a fun weekend, you need to know your sober timeline. Any amount of drinking you do affects your ability to drive safely.
You might be wondering, how long does alcohol stay in your system? The answer is going to be different for everyone individually. Here are some of the factors that will affect your sobering up the timeline.
- Your age
- How much you weigh
- Any medications you’re taking
- Number of drinks consumed
- Time
The amount of time it took you to consume your drinks, affect how long it takes you to process the alcohol.
What’s a Standard Drink?
What’s your version of drinking a little? Let’s look at the official sizes of standard drinks you might enjoy.
- Can of ordinary beer = 330 ml
- Shot of spirits = 40ml
- A glass of wine =140 ml
- Small liquor 70 = ml
Moderate drinkers will consume up to 1 standard drink a day for women, and two for men. Binge drinking comes into play when someone has 4-5 drinks in 2 hours or less.
How Long to Wait Before Driving
Now you’re ready to find out how to determine if you can drive or not. First, you need to be honest with yourself. Do you really know the number of drinks you had?
If you’re not absolutely certain the amount you’ve had to drink, have someone else drive you home. Yet, if you feel fine to drive, and know what you had to drink, here are a few tips to help.
- Buy a cheap breathalyzer
- Use an online sober calculator
- Wait a full 24 hours
While most alcohol will metabolize out of your system faster than 24 hours, why not play it safe. Just because you’re not technically under the influence, doesn’t mean you’re not tired.
Refresh Your Body
After you are completely sober up, your body will still need some extra care. Drinking is wonderful fun, yet it does take a toll on your overall energy levels. That’s why it’s important to take extra time to provide yourself with a healthy meal the next day.
Here at the Budget And The Bees, we have a simple food philosophy. We believe eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to get the nutrients you need. Stay away from only cooking pasta all week long. Instead, switch it up by adding in some quinoa, brown rice, or barley.
Finally, a good hearty workout is sure to help sweat out any remaining toxins. Do you need some treadmill time but can’t seem to move your feet? Check out our latest article about how to work out, even when you don’t want to.
