Ch. 6: Drinking, Drugs, & Health Smojver

Effects of Alcohol Driving under the influence of intoxicating beverages means that a driver’s senses & judgment are impaired. After just 2, 3, or 4 drinks alcohol begins to impair reaction time, coordination, and balance.

DUI vs DWI Driving Under the Influence: DUI Driving While Intoxicated: DWI Some states make a difference between the two

Alcohol Alcohol is a depressant It affects the central nervous system as an anesthetic, lowering the activity of the brain. It is not digested, it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and carried to all parts of the body. The brain is more immediately affected than any other organ because of the amount of blood it requires to function.

TIME!!! Sobering Up The only thing that can sober a person up is… Coffee? Food? Cold shower? Sleep…close… TIME!!!

How much is too much? A breath test will show a motorists BAC BAC = Blood Alcohol Concentration 4 Determining Factors: Quantity of Alcohol Consumed Body Weight How quickly drinks were consumed Food eaten Carbonated drinks enter blood stream faster

Driving Accidents The best way to reduce the risk of crash caused by drinking and driving is to not drink & drive! Alcohol lowers your inhibitions

BAC Limits Motorists 21+ cannot drive with a BAC of .08% Motorists under 21 cannot drive with a BAC of .01% BAC of .05 = 2x greater risk of accident BAC of .10 = 6x greater risk of accident BAC of .15 = 25x greater risk of accident

Amounts of Alcohol Every drink contains about 0.5 oz of alcohol 1.5 oz of liquor = 12 oz of beer = 5 oz of wine

Drunk Driving Studies show most people arrested for drinking and driving had been drinking beer.

Signs of Drunk Driving Speeding - an intoxicated driver often thinks high speed driving is safe Weaving - even though an intoxicated driver may stay in the correct lane, driving straight may be a problem

Signs of Drunk Driving Slow Driving - an intoxicated driver may be overly cautious and drive slower than the normal traffic flow Jerking Motions - an intoxicated driver often may have short mental lapses and not keep a steady speed on a clear road Quick Stops - an intoxicated driver may make sudden stops at a traffic sign or light, rather than easing up to it http://www.drinkinganddriving.org/tools/video/Follow-The-Drunk/

The Good Host Law Be a good host: Serve nutritious foods & nonalcoholic beverages Never insist a guest should drink alcoholic beverages Never insist on refills Allow a guest to stay the night if they have been drinking too much Stop serving alcohol well before the party ends Host may be involved in a law suit if guest is involved in a drinking and driving collision after leaving a party

Drugs & Driving Drugs that may affect basic driving skills include: Cold Pills Tranquilizers Prescription Medicine