For sure drunk driving increases your odds of an accident. But people make it sound 3-4 beers and you're bound to have an accident. We should be more honest about it.
The crazy drunkard having stiff drinks at a bar and then driving home after almost falling over walking to his car is pretty rare.
But you're right, in the context of the OP I was responding to, he probably did mean real drunkards being more popular back then.