Navigating the congested roads of Missouri can be frustrating for anyone. You may otherwise be a calm and patient person, but your judgment might become clouded after a drink or two. Although you might not have a blood alcohol content over the legal limit of 0.08 percent, the smallest bit of alcohol in your system might contribute to a decision that you might not normally make.

The American Safety Council reports that 66 percent of traffic deaths are attributed to aggressive driving. You may already be aware that alcohol can loosen your inhibitions and lead to more courageous or reckless actions. This can be devastating if it occurs while you are behind the wheel. For example, the following situations might occur:

• You decide to swerve around a vehicle in front of you that is driving too slowly.
• Someone cuts you off, so you cut the other driver off in turn.
• Whether intentional or not, you follow the car in front of you too closely.
• You react angrily to another driver who honks the horn at you or makes a rude gesture.

Any of these scenarios could result in an accident that injures someone. The conflict can be taken further when a driver escalates it into a deliberate attempt to cause harm. This is known as road rage, and law enforcement considers it a criminal offense, since it qualifies as assault. You may not have meant to harm someone, but you might have made a snap decision out of anger or frustration that ordinarily goes against your character. If an injury occurred and you had any alcohol in your system, you might face DUI charges in addition to the charges related to the accident. Since this is a complex topic, the information in this blog should not replace the advice of a lawyer.