DRUNK DRIVING LINKED TO REDUCTION IN NEUROTRANSMITTER FUNCTION

Have you ever found yourself wondering why drunk driving doesn’t go away on its own? Everyone knows what a problem it is, everyone knows that it is illegal and yet it still happens. Across the country, someone is killed in a crash that is related to alcohol every 53 minutes. Surely any rationally-thinking person would know that drunk driving is too dangerous to participate in.

But this isn’t how people think, the stats show. Some estimates have said that one out of each 2,000 trips down the road in the United States involves a drunk driver. That may sound like a small amount, but you can pass hundreds of cars on a 10-minute drive to the mall, so you can see how common this danger really is.

One reason could be the reduction of function in neurotransmitters. These are the chemicals within the brain that help the brain communicate. It does so through electrical impulses, and they’re carried by neurotransmitters. Some examples of common neurotransmitters are adrenaline and serotonin. Serotonin is often linked with feelings of joy and happiness, while adrenaline is linked to risk and excitement.

In any case, alcohol can actually interfere with brain function and the reaction of the neurotransmitters. When their functionality is inhibited, the brain does not carry out complex processes as it is meant to. This could be part of the reason that people will make dangerous decisions — like driving drunk — that they would never make sober and will regret in the morning.

This isn’t to excuse drunk driving by any means, but simply to look at part of the reason it’s still such a problem, despite all of the stats and research. Have you been hurt in a DUI accident? As long as so many drivers are under the influence, this will continue to be an issue, and you need to know your rights in Pennsylvania.

Source: Aaron Gordon Insurance, “Personal Insurance Blog,” Aaron Gordon, accessed Aug. 25, 2016