What is the safest method to assess your ability to drive after drinking?

Using a breathalyzer is the safest method to assess your ability to drive after drinking because it provides an objective measurement of your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Unlike personal feelings or judgments from friends, which can be influenced by cognitive impairment caused by alcohol, a breathalyzer delivers a quantifiable reading that indicates whether you are above the legal limit for driving. This helps eliminate any subjectivity in evaluating your sobriety.

Assessing your ability to drive based on how you feel can be misleading, as alcohol can impair judgment and self-assessment, leading to overconfidence in your ability to operate a vehicle safely. Relying on friends' opinions may also be problematic, as peer pressure and varying levels of concern can skew their perspective. Taking a short walk might give some indication of physical coordination but is not a reliable measure of BAC or overall impairment, and it does not accurately reflect your driving capability. Hence, a breathalyzer offers the most reliable and safe method for determining whether you can safely drive after consuming alcohol.