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Invisible traps in the brain: How does alcohol distort our judgment?
Drunk driving accounts for a shocking proportion of traffic fatalities each year. In the United States, alcohol-related traffic accidents account for 32% of deaths. Such shocking data not only reflects the impact of alcohol on the body, but also more deeply reflects the distortion of human judgment by alcohol.
Effects of Alcohol and Related Regulations
Alcohol is widely considered a depressant, particularly on the nervous system. In the United States, most states have enacted "driving under the influence" (DUI) laws, which apply not only to driving cars, but also to other modes of transportation such as boats, airplanes, and even bicycles. In the UK, the laws on drink driving are more specific, covering offences such as "driving with excessive alcohol intake" and "responsible driving while intoxicated".
As alcohol concentration increases, the risk of an accident increases exponentially. Studies show that if the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reaches 0.15%, the risk of an accident is more than 25 times that of driving without alcohol.
How Alcohol Inhibits Cognitive Function
Alcohol has profound effects on our cognitive functioning. Even a BAC as low as 0.02% is enough to cause decreased visual function and distraction, and the problem becomes more serious as the alcohol concentration rises. When it is as high as 0.08% or even 0.15%, the driver's attention, memory and reaction speed will drop sharply, which directly affects driving safety.
Alcohol first affects the most critical brain tissues. Once the functions of these areas are inhibited, people's behavioral judgments and reactions become disordered and inefficient.
Psychological characteristics of drunk driving
Drunk drivers often share common psychological traits. A study of Swedish prisoners found that those convicted of drunk driving often displayed traits such as anxiety, depression, and low self-control. These psychological states not only contribute to their drunk driving behavior, but also reflect their ability to resist social norms.
Many drunk drivers choose to drink despite facing legal and financial consequences, demonstrating their low ability to predict and control over the outcomes.
Alcohol recovery error
During the recovery process, alcoholics often misassess their own status. Studies show that people may mistakenly believe they are safe to drive even though there is still alcohol in their blood. This incorrect self-assessment further increases the danger of drunk driving.
This overestimation of how quickly they can recover may be the root cause of many drink-driving behaviors, as people believe they can drive safely even when this is not the case.
Risks of drunk driving
Alcohol-induced traffic accidents not only cause significant loss of life, but also impose a heavy economic burden on society. According to reports, in 2015, accidents caused by drunk driving caused approximately $3.7 billion in losses, and the cost to society as a whole for drunk driving cases is as high as $45 billion each year.
Human Choices and Consequences
Different cultures and legal systems have different rules about drinking and driving, but the underlying issue remains how alcohol fundamentally distorts our judgment. In the fierce social environment, many people still choose to indulge themselves and ignore potential dangers, leading to tragedy.
Against this backdrop, how can we improve individuals’ self-control and awareness of the risks of alcohol so that everyone can make wiser choices?
