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3 myths about getting sober quickly

On Behalf of | Mar 6, 2023 | DUI

You may find yourself in a situation in which you are too intoxicated to drive, but you are also unable to get home otherwise. Say that you brought your car to the bar. You could technically get a ride home from someone else or call a taxi, but then you’d have to figure out how to get your car again the next day. Many people will just decide that they have to drive home under these circumstances.

To feel safer about this decision, they may listen to some common myths about how they can get sober quickly. Their goal is to reduce their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) so that they can drive without the risk of incurring OWI charges. It is important to understand that the only thing that will get you sober is time. The following three strategies will not work to sober you up more quickly than the simple passage of time will.

Drinking coffee

First of all, some people decide to drink a cup of coffee or even just a cup of water. They think that this is going to help them sober up, but the reality is that the caffeine just makes them feel a bit more alert. They may mistake this feeling for sobriety when their BAC is actually still above the legal limit.

Eating a meal

This myth likely comes from the fact that eating before you drink can slow down how fast you become intoxicated. But once your blood alcohol concentration has already risen, nothing that you eat is going to cause it to decline again.

Taking a cold shower

Finally, some people believe that a cold shower can sober someone up. But again, this just makes them feel more awake and alert. It’s a shock to the system in the same way that caffeine can be. But taking a shower does not change blood alcohol concentration.

Unfortunately, you may have been pulled over by the police when you believed you were sober enough to drive, but now you’re facing charges. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s very important to know what legal options you have at your disposal.