Walking Under the Influence

Walking Under the Influence

Maybe more people are deciding to walk rather than drive after an evening of imbibing but statistics show that even walking under the influence can be dangerous, almost as dangerous as driving under the influence. A 2008 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study found that a pedestrian is four times more likely to be killed if he had been drinking than if no alcohol were involved and walking under the influence is a major cause of pedestrian versus car crashes. Though these accidents are often enough to scar the automobile driver involved for life they are even more often fatal for the pedestrian. Other factors in these accidents, besides alcohol clouded judgment, include darkness and proximity to nightspots or drinking establishments.

I think my judgment might be questionable sometimes with or without the influence of alcohol but I think the DOT pedestrian and bicycle coordinator for a couple of south Florida counties said it best, "If you're stone drunk, it's probably not a good idea to go walking around."