Study: Driving With Hangover Can Be As Dangerous As Driving While Intoxicated

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — New research says driving with a hangover can be just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.

Follow the guy with the shaking sombrero and you'll find one heck of a part at Centro Restaurant and Bar in Sacramento. On Cinco de Mayo, the drinks were everywhere and the worries were nowhere to be found.

But new research shows it's not just the drinking that night that could impair drivers. Behind the wheel the next morning, those same drivers could be just as dangerous.

"When you're hungover, your reaction times are bad. All your reactions are slower," said Auburn doctor Bill Kirby. "Your thought processes aren't working well, and you might as well be drunk."

Even if there's no more booze in your system, physicians and the California Highway Patrol will tell you your actions will most likely be impaired after a night of throwing back a few.

Planning ahead for a head-pounding day after the a crazy night can be a good thing, or even better, try not to drink too much in the first place.

By the way, it's entirely possible to be charged even if you're not legally drunk behind the wheel. If your hangover gets the attention of the CHP, you could still be charged with driving while impaired.

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