Alcohol, Drugs, and Impaired Driving
Know the limits
In Indiana, a driver 21 or older is impaired at a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or higher. Drivers under 21 are held to 0.02, and commercial drivers to 0.04. You can be convicted of operating while intoxicated even below those numbers if your driving is impaired. Indiana's implied consent law means that by driving you agree to a chemical test; refusing one leads to license suspension.
What alcohol does
Alcohol first attacks judgment and reaction time, then vision and coordination - the very skills you need before you notice you feel drunk. A standard drink (12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, 1.5 oz liquor) contains about the same alcohol. BAC depends on body weight, food, gender, and how fast you drink. Only time removes alcohol; coffee, food, cold showers, and exercise do not sober you up. BAC can keep rising for a while after your last drink, so 'I just stopped' is not a defense.
Drugs - illegal, prescription, or marijuana - can impair driving even when you feel fine, and combining them with alcohol multiplies the effects. Read labels for drowsiness warnings and do not drive until you know how a medication affects you.
Consequences and prevention
An OWI can mean jail, fines, license suspension, ignition interlock, higher insurance, and a criminal record, and penalties escalate with repeat offenses or a child in the vehicle. Choose a designated driver before you go out, use a rideshare, or stay put. Open containers of alcohol in the passenger area of a vehicle are illegal.
Trap: the myth questions - coffee sobers you up, one drink per hour always keeps you legal, or beer is weaker than liquor.