People sometimes get themselves in trouble with drunk driving arrests simply because they do not understand how impaired they actually are. They think that they are not intoxicated and that it would be safe for them to drive. They know that they have consumed alcohol, but maybe they think they had a small enough amount to stay under the legal limit or that it was a long time ago, and they have sobered up since then.
But there is a problem with this, which is that the person is making a judgment call about their own intoxication. And studies find that people are often highly inaccurate. They cannot really tell how drunk they are, and so they often get it wrong. This is what could lead to such an arrest.
Comparing themselves to others
There is one issue here, which is that a person who is making that judgment call is naturally impaired by alcohol, so they are unable to do so accurately. The alcohol itself leads them to make the wrong decision.
But more important than that is the way in which people make this determination. What studies find is that they tend to compare themselves to other people who are around them at the time.
What this means is that their audience makes a big difference. Someone may think that they are sober if they are around other people who are very intoxicated, simply because they may be the most sober person in the room. But if you took that same person and put them into a college lecture or a church service, where everyone is sober and quiet, then they may suddenly feel that they are highly impaired.
Your defense options
Have you found yourself facing drunk driving charges after such a mistake? If so, be sure you know exactly what defense options you have.