Is there a connection between energy drinks and drunk driving?
According to a new study, if you are a fan of energy drinks, you may be at greater risk of a drunk driving violation. The study found that people who consumed alcohol and energy drinks together were more likely to get behind the wheel when they knew they were too intoxicated compared to people who drank alcohol only, reports Live Science.
Energy drinks do not necessarily make you more likely to engage in dangerous behaviors. Rather, researchers suspect that energy drinks can affect the parts of your brain that help you determine rewards versus risks. Alcohol is a depressant and when mixed with taurine or caffeine, common energy drink ingredients, it may affect you differently or more severely than just drinking alcohol alone. That, in turn, can lead to a false belief that you are not as drunk as you think you are.
Interestingly, the study also found that people who like to drink alcohol combined with energy drinks imbibed more often than those who consumed alcohol only. They were also more likely to consume more alcohol in a single sitting. However, that does not necessarily mean that energy drinks are to blame since those people may have been prone to drink more anyway.
Therefore, if you are someone who likes to consume energy drinks and alcohol, you may want to practice caution and refrain from driving if you have been drinking, as getting behind the wheel when you are above the legal limit can have serious legal consequences. This is general information on this topic and should not be considered legal advice.