Final answer:
Yes, drinking alcohol and driving significantly increases the risk of having a crash due to its impairing effects on various cognitive and motor abilities necessary for safe driving.
Step-by-step explanation:
Does drinking alcohol and driving increase the risk of having a crash? The answer is A) Yes. When alcohol is consumed, it affects the brain by impairing judgment, coordination, and the ability to drive safely, regardless of the individual variations in blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Studies have shown that alcohol-related impairments can lead to an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes, as evidenced by statistics such as 50% of road accidents in Australia being linked to the overconsumption of alcohol.
Alcohol can notably reduce a driver's reaction time, impair vision, and cause difficulty in judging distances and speeds. Excessive alcohol consumption also carries various health risks including memory loss and chronic diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver and certain cancers. In most jurisdictions, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of 0.08% or higher, due to the high risk of accidents associated with driving under the influence.