There are many important reasons why there are drunk driving laws in place in Toronto. Put simply, drunk driving puts you, along with other innocent drivers on the road, in serious, if not fatal, danger. Read on to discover how alcohol impacts a person’s ability to drive and how a seasoned Toronto drunk driver accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group can be of any assistance necessary.
How does alcohol impact driving ability?
If you are driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, your ability to sense danger, react to hazards, or overall control your motor vehicle will be significantly hindered. With this, you are at a much higher risk of causing a serious accident. Below is a list of limitations that alcohol can have on your capability to drive:
- Your judgment will be distorted: alcohol will block good decision-making behavior and will increase your risk-taking behavior. For example, you may be more inclined to speed, run a red light, etc., without thinking about the potential consequences.
- Your concentration will be minimal: alcohol will limit your ability to multitask. For example, when operating a vehicle, you must concentrate on steering, maintaining a safe speed, staying in your lane, following safety signals and signs, etc., all at the same time.
- Your coordination will be impaired: alcohol will lessen your motor skills. For example, you may have delayed reflexes that impact your ability to use the brake, steer, etc.
- Your vision will be impaired: alcohol will relax the muscles that control your eyes and decrease your peripheral vision. For example, you may have a difficult time seeing hazards that are not directly in front of you such as cars, pedestrians, etc., and your visual reaction time will be too slow.
What are the dram shop laws in Toronto?
There are dram shop laws in place in Toronto to hold the appropriate parties accountable for a drunk driving accident. That is, if you were made a victim of a drunk driving accident and you believe the establishment that served the drunk driver alcohol is partially to blame, then you may also place your personal injury lawsuit against them. For this, you will have to prove any of the following arguments as true:
- The establishment served the at-fault driver alcohol when they were already visibly intoxicated.
- The establishment served the at-fault driver alcohol when they were a minor.
- The establishment served the at-fault driver alcohol after hours.
- The establishment served the at-fault driver alcohol without a license to do so.
If you require assistance with executing your case, then you must hire a competent Toronto auto accident lawyer. Make sure you do so before the statute of limitations, which is generally two years from the date of your accident. So, call us as soon as you can.
