Bars and restaurants in Florida offer happy hour specials both to tempt locals and to draw tourist traffic. Few things inspire people to patronize a business more effectively than discounted alcoholic beverages.
Stopping in at happy hour on one’s way home from work can be a pleasant way to round out a stressful day at work. However, happy hour can sometimes contribute to an increase in drunk driving arrests and crashes. Therefore, the police often watch closely for strange driving behavior around happy hour.
Why would stopping off for a drink or two at happy hour potentially lead to someone’s arrest in Florida?
They haven’t eaten recently
A stressful day at work may have meant that someone powered through their lunch break to get as much done as possible instead of actually eating a meal. They may have started the day early and skipped breakfast so that they could get to work a little bit earlier. Those that have no food in their stomachs and have had little to eat previously in the day will often feel the effects of alcohol far more strongly than those who have eaten in the last few hours.
Sales push them to overindulge
The average adult can metabolize approximately one beverage’s worth of alcohol per hour. That means one shot of liquor, one beer or one glass of wine. Some cocktails may have multiple shots in them, and many restaurants and bars serve beer and wine in sizes beyond the standard single drink. Beyond that, many people will order a second cocktail if the prices are great or the atmosphere is pleasant. Happy hour inspires people to unwind and relax, which may mean that they end up drinking more than they should too quickly.
They are too eager to get home
Perhaps the worst part about happy hour is how soon it ends. Once the specials end or the dinner hour looms, those headed home from work are often eager to get on with their evening. They may not wait an appropriate amount of time after finishing their drinks before leaving the bar. Their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) might continue to rise after they leave even if they test themselves to make sure that they are safe to drive before getting in their car.
If motorists understand what elevates their risk of impairment during happy hour, they may be able to make better choices. Learning more about issues that lead to drunk driving charges can also help those hoping to put together a defense after a recent impaired driving arrest.