UNIT 6 DRIVING READINESS Chapter 18 Handling Social Pressures

LESSON 1 - ALCOHOL AND YOU Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) – the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood Three major categories of alcoholic drinking: Experimentation: people who start drinking before age 15 are 4 times more likely to become alcoholics than those who begin drinking at age 21 The risk of alcoholism decreases by 14% for each year a person waits to begin drinking Recreational drinking Alcohol abuse Drinking to excess or very frequently Drinking to get drunk or drinking when driving Drinking to relieve stress Drinking to change a feeling, mood or social situation

Ten misconceptions about drinking: All drinks are equal in alcohol content: 1 oz. shot of 80 proof whiskey = 12 oz. beer = 5 oz. wine About 80% of persons charged with a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) were drinking beer prior to their arrest The human body removes one drink per hour: Only true for some people It takes about 2 hours for the body to get rid of one drink Depends on body weight, how fast you drink, how much you drink, and the amount of food in your stomach Males and females handle alcohol the same: harder for females to handle alcohol (enzyme)

Beer is not as intoxicating as hard liquor You cannot get drunk on a full stomach Impaired (drinking) driving is not dangerous: Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of teens You must drink because your friends want you to, even if you are the driver Black coffee, a cold shower and lots of exercise can quickly sober up a drinker: Only TIME can sober you up Alcohol makes you feel better when you’re depressed Alcohol is a depressant Sometimes because of peer pressure there is no other choice but to drink

LESSON 2 ALCOHOL AND ITS EFFECTS Alcohol is probably the most abused drug in the U.S. Statistics about drinking and driving: 17,419 people died in alcohol-related crashes in 2002 (1 death every 30 minutes) Approx. 300,000 people were injured in alcohol-related crashes in 2002 (1 person every 2 minutes) About 3 in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives

How does alcohol affect driving ability? One drink of alcohol causes rapid changes in the body because alcohol is absorbed faster than food Alcohol has the greatest affect on the brain which is why a drinker’s mental and physical abilities become diminished Affects ability to make good decisions and have good judgment is impaired Slows reflexes (affects reaction time) Gives a feeling of being invincible Affects vision

How your body is affected by alcohol: Acts as a depressant (slows down and impairs central nervous system) Changes in thinking can occur even with small amounts of alcohol Can cause a driver to drive too fast, pass when unsafe to do so or make bad decisions in an emergency situation Can affect complex reaction time (steering and braking)

Vision is also affected: Visual acuity – images become blurry Side vision – lessons your peripheral vision Color distinction – trouble distinguishing colors Night vision – more difficult to see at night Distance judgment – reduces ability to judge distance accurately Static vision – trouble seeing and interpreting things which are not in motion Dynamic vision – trouble seeing and interpreting things which are in motion

How much alcohol affects your driving? Even one drink may impair your ability to drive safely (40% of all highway deaths are alcohol related) As the BAC goes up, the chance of death goes up (especially if the BAC is above the legal limit) Underage drinking and driving: People under age 21 who drink and drive are breaking two laws (D.U.I. and underage drinking) Zero tolerance laws – prohibit drinking under age 21

LESSON 3 OTHER DRUGS’ EFFECT ON DRIVING ABILITY Legal drugs that impair driving ability: Over-the-counter drugs: Read labels and check for side affects Check for warning signs (ex. “May cause drowsiness or dizziness” or “Do not drive after using”) Prescription drugs: Only by doctors prescription Check for adverse and side affects that may affect driving Depressants - Prescription drugs that slow down the central nervous system

Illegal drugs that impair driving ability: Stimulants: Speed up the central nervous system Examples include amphetamines and cocaine Can give you a false feeling of well-being and make you think you are super alert Can cause drivers to take foolish and life-threatening risks When drug wears off driver can become tired and depressed Hallucinogens: Mind altering drugs Examples include LSD, PCP and marijuana Cause hallucinations (impair the way the driver thinks, sees and acts) Temporary psychosis and long term mental damage

Signs that someone is driving under the influence: Narcotics: Strong depressant effect and create a euphoria than can quickly become an addiction Examples include morphine, heroine and codeine Affect driving and can cause coma or an overdose resulting in death Signs that someone is driving under the influence: Traveling at erratic speeds Running over curbs or turning into the wrong lane Weaving or swerving Ignoring or overshooting traffic signs Synergism – mixing or taking two drugs at the same time (has much stronger effect than when taken alone) Ex. Mixing marijuana and alcohol may not make you realize how much you’ve been drinking and you can then get alcohol poisoning which can result in coma or death

LESSON 4 PREVENTING IMPAIRED DRIVING Legal measures to correct problems caused by alcohol: Administrative License Revocation – penalties for refusing to take a test to measure BAC Zero Tolerance Laws – prohibit any drinking until age 21 (there is no such thing as responsible drinking for an underage person) Open Container Law – prohibit open containers of alcohol in a vehicle Legal penalties

New Jersey drinking and driving laws: First offense over 21 BAC .08% to .10%: 3 month license suspension $250-$400 fine 12 to 48 hours in an Intoxicated Driver Resource center (IDRC) $1000 annual surcharge to MVC for three years First offense over 21 BAC .10% or more: 7 month to 1 year suspension $300-$500 fine 12 to 48 hours in an IDRC

First offense under 21 BAC .01% to .08%: 30 to 90 day suspension 15 to 30 days community service Participation in an IDRC Implied consent – a law stating that any licensed driver charged with driving under the influence cannot legally refuse to be tested for BAC