Driving While Impaired

Alcohol + Driving = A Deadly Combination  Alcohol will…..  Slow down your Central Nervous System  Impair your vision  Weaken your sense of inhibition and cause you to take risks  Develop a false sense of well-being  Increase your risk of being in a fatal car accident

Facts about Alcohol  Alcohol is eliminated through the liver (not by sweating, exercising, drinking water, etc.)  The effects of alcohol are most quickly felt in the brain  The amount of alcohol is your system is measured by something called BAC – Blood Alcohol Concentration  Time is the only remedy that will decrease BAC – not eating food, drinking coffee, taking a shower, working out, sticking your head out the window, or anything else

TWO FACTS  FACT #1: Alcohol-related crashes are the leading cause of death for young Americans, between the ages of 16 and 24 years old.  FACT #2: For all Americans between 5 and 35 years of age, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death. Over 50% of these accidents are caused by alcohol impaired drivers.

What causes all of these young adult traffic deaths? DDistractions – other passengers, etc TTexting or talking on the phone MMulti-tasking while driving TTaking unnecessary vehicular risks BBeing under the influence of drugs or alcohol

North Carolina has a Zero Tolerance policy for underage drinkers  ANY amount of alcohol will result in a 30-day drivers license revocation,  As well as a conviction for DWI.  For drivers under the age of 21, simply the SMELL of alcohol is enough for a DWI conviction

 The “automatic” BAC level for a DUI conviction for drivers aged 21 and over is 0.08, but….  They can also get convicted of DUI with a level lower than 0.08, if it is shown that the alcohol/drugs in their system impaired their driving ability.  (Of course, if you are UNDER 21, then the limit is You will be convicted for ANY amount.)

IF you are under the age of 21, YYou will automatically lose your drivers license for one year if you…… PPurchase or try to purchase alcohol HHelp an underage person purchase alcohol UUse a fake ID to buy or attempt to buy

In addition………  Persons over the age of 21 will automatically lose their licenses for one year if they…  Allow their ID to be used by an underage driver to purchase alcohol, or  Give alcohol to an underage driver.

BAC – Blood Alcohol Concentration  BAC readings of 0.08 have been shown to substantially increase the chance of being in a fatal wreck.  A level of 0.08 (0.04 for commercial drivers) will result in an immediate license revocation of 30 days, plus a DWI conviction: > 1 st offense: lose your license for one year > 2 nd offense: lose it for four years! > 3 rd offense: lose it permanently!

 Following a first DWI conviction, a person’s “allowable” BAC level drops to 0.04  Following a second DWI conviction, “zero tolerance” kicks in: a person’s allowable BAC level drops to 0.00!

BY THE WAY…  All of this is true for drugs – prescription, legal, illegal, whatever – also, if it is shown that they impaired your driving.  If you have prescription medicine and you HAVE to drive, ask your doctor about possible effects

OF COURSE……… UUnderage drivers – those under the age of 21 – are under the “zero tolerance” law: AANY amount of alcohol will earn a DWI conviction, regardless of the actual BAC level. IIt’s not worth losing your license – and possible your life!