1. UNIT 6 DRIVING READINESS
Chapter 18
Handling Social Pressures

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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