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AAA: Don’t Drive With A Hangover This New Year's

Intoxication Doesn’t End The Morning After The Celebration

New Years Eve noisemakers by Carol VanHook
Copyright Carol VanHook https://www.flickr.com/photos/ librariesrock/ http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/

As people prepare to ring in the New Year, many will choose to indulge with some alcoholic beverages. In addition to reminding people of the dangers of driving under the influence, AAA Hawaii also wants the public to know about of the dangers of driving with a hangover.

“Driving hungover can be just as dangerous as driving after having a few drinks,” said AAA Hawaii Traffic Safety and Community Programs Manager Anita Lorz-Villagrana, “After a night of drinking, many people may wake up with alcohol still in their blood, or they will wake up tired and disoriented.” “Hangovers may also cause motion sickness, headaches and light sensitivity, and can impact reaction times.”

According to the AAA DUI Justice Link, a resource to help reduce impaired driving, the only thing that will sober somebody up is time. It can take between 75-90 minutes or longer for the body to eliminate the alcohol contained in one standard-sized drink, which is longer than many people would assume.

Risks of Driving Hungover:
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, hangover symptoms peak when the blood alcohol concentration in the body returns to near zero. Symptoms can last 24 hours or longer, and can include:

  • Fatigue and weakness
  • Headaches and muscle aches
  • Nausea and stomach pain
  • Poor or decreased sleep
  • Dehydration
  • Vertigo
  • Sensitivity to light and sound
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Increased blood pressure

“We wouldn’t advise that anybody drives with any of these symptoms, regardless of whether they are recovering from a night of celebrating or not,” continued Lorz-Villagrana.

CST 1016202-80 Copyright © AAA Hawai'i, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
AAA Hawai'i is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the state of Hawai'i.