Myths Or Truth – Can You Tell Which Of These Myths About Alcohol Consumption Is True?

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Attorney Grant Travis | Travis Law Firm | Personal Injury Attorney, DUI Defense Attorney, Criminal Defense Attorney | Serving Erie, Crawford, Warren & all of Northwestern PA | Call the Travis Law Firm at 814-277-2222 today!

If you enjoy consuming alcohol on occasion or even on a regular basis, you may have heard a lot of stories about how to avoid getting drunk. Many of these stories are myths. While it is certainly okay to enjoy alcohol, it is not okay to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after drinking. The penalties you face from a DUI conviction in Pennsylvania are steep and go far beyond a simple fine. Below are four of the myths about alcohol consumption. Do you know which ones are myths and which ones are true?

  • Drinking Diet Cola with Alcohol Allows Me to Drink More
    • MYTH : A common misconception is that if you drink diet cola along with alcoholic beverages, it will keep you from getting as drunk. The truth is actually the opposite. The caffeine will make you feel energized, and the lack of sugar will allow you to get drunk even quicker. Sugar slows down the body’s absorption of alcohol, so regular colas are better than diet soda, but even they won’t prevent a person from getting drunk.
  • One Drink an Hour is Okay
    • MYTH: Another common myth is that if a person only drinks one alcoholic beverage per hour, the person will not be too intoxicated to drive a car. This myth assumes that our bodies take about an hour to metabolize alcohol. However, everyone’s alcohol metabolism rate is slightly different. Therefore, assuming you are okay to drive simply because you only had one drink an hour is dangerous.
  • Dark Liquor is Better
    • MYTH: Some people believe you get less drunk on dark liquor than on clear liquor. It’s the amount of alcohol content present in the drink that causes you to get drunk, not the color of the liquid. However, clear liquor often causes less of a hangover because the dark liquor has more impurities that the body must break down, which may have led to the assumption that you can drink more dark liquor before you become intoxicated.
  • Drinking Alcohol Kills Brain Cells
    • MYTH: College students who enjoy consuming alcohol at parties will be glad to hear that this is a myth. However, even though alcohol doesn’t kill brain cells it definitely affects how the brain works. Too much alcohol disrupts the neurons in the brain. This can cause problems with memory — a very harmful effect for a college student at test time.
  • You Can Fool a Breathalyzer
    • MYTH: Sorry, this is a myth. There are so many myths about tricking a breathalyzer that it is hard to keep up. Eating a breath mint, drinking mouthwash, sucking on a penny, and eating an onion are not going to work. The chemical reaction in a breathalyzer measures your blood alcohol content. You simply cannot fool a breathalyzer.

Call an Experienced Erie DUI Attorney for Help

Anyone who drinks alcohol should play it safe and not drive. Believing these myths about alcohol consumption can result in an accident or a ticket for a DUI. It’s better to be safe than sorry — find a designated driver.

However, if you are charged with DUI in Pennsylvania, don’t assume you are guilty. You may have a legal defense to your drunk driving charge. Before you agree to a plea, call our Erie DUI attorney for a free appointment. The cops nor the prosecutor will tell you that you have a valid defense. Don’t trust what they say. Get the facts from an experienced Erie DUI lawyer.

Contact The Travis Law Firm toll-free at (800) 401-2066 to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our DUI defense attorneys.