The July Fourth holiday weekend is one of the most dangerous times to be on the road. When people celebrate this holiday with friends and family, they often like to drink alcohol, and some then drive. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics for 2020 show that alcohol impairment was a factor in 41% of the crash deaths on the July Fourth weekend.

The police and highway patrol will be extra vigilant, typically setting up extra DUI checkpoints to catch anyone over the limit.

Surely being under the limit means I am safe to drive?

You do not need to be over the limit for alcohol to affect your ability to drive.

The NHTSA talks about buzzed driving rather than drunk driving to highlight how any amount of alcohol will impair your ability to drive. The buzzed feeling even the first glass of wine or beer can give you is proof that alcohol affects you.

It is best to think of the legal limit of 0.08 % blood alcohol content (BAC) as an arbitrary number rather than some magical boundary. If the police find your BAC is over that limit, they will definitely charge you. Yet they can still charge you if you are under if they see evidence that the alcohol you consumed has impaired your ability to drive safely. 

You might disagree with their opinion, but that does not mean they won't arrest you.

If you believe the police wrongly charged you with drunk driving, seek legal help to show why they were wrong. The best option is, of course, to avoid drinking altogether if you intend to drive.