Transcript Chapter 6-Drinking_ Drugs_ _ Health

DRINKING, DRUGS, & HEALTH
Driver’s Education-Period 4
Mr. Hamill
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
• Alcohol is a drug that affects overall driving ability
• Increase driving confidence and make inhibit ability to make responsible decisions
• Even if below legal limit, alcohol, still affects one’s ability to drive affectively
• After 2-4 drinks reaction time, coordination, and balance are affected
• Vision and the ability to judge distance is affected causing reaction time and ability to drive safely decrease
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL CONTINUED
 Sobriety can only be achieved through time
 90% of alcohol is burned up (oxidized through the liver)
 10% is eliminated through breath, sweat, and urine
 The above is the reason for a slow-process to achieve a sober status and no quick
fixes
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL CONTINUED
 Alcohol creates a significant increase in emotions
 Combination of alcohol and anger can create dangerous driving situations
 Most alcohol related accidents involve one car, but many individuals are
injured/killed
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
 BAC= BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION
 BAC is based upon Quantity of Alcohol Consumed, Body Weight, How quickly
consumed, and How much food was eaten
 Best way to avoid drinking and driving accidents is to avoid any type of driving
after drinking
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?
 BAC can be determined by a breath test or blood test
 In NJ it is illegal for a driver 21 or older to drive with a BAC of .08 or greater
 In NJ it is illegal for a driver under the age of 21 to drive with a BAC of 0.01 or
greater
RISK OF ACCIDENTS WHILE DRINKING &
DRIVING
 A BAC of just over .05 doubles chances of accident
 A BAC of .10 increases a motor vehicle accident by 6x
 A BAC of .15 increases chances of an accident to 25X
BREATHALYZER TEST
 Given by Police Officers who suspect drivers of intoxication
 Refusal to give a Breathalyzer test will result in same penalty as driving with a BAC
of .10 first offense.
^Loss of Driving License for 7-12 months , also subject to a charge of $1,000 per
year for 3 years
ITS NOT WHAT YOU DRINK, BUT HOW
MUCH
All 3 are equal and contain about a ½ ounce of alcohol
Most arrests are for persons under the influence from
beer
Food does slow down the absorption rate of alcohol, but
will not prevent a high BAC
Heavy and steady drinking will always cause a high BAC
Avoid driving, use a Designated Driver, Cab, or Public
Transportation
DRINKING & DRIVING
 Driving while drunk will cause driver’s to have slow reaction time and to drive with more confidence than usual
 Officers are taught to look for these examples to recognize drunk drivers:
Speeding: Driving at high speeds may seem safe to the driver
Weaving: May stay in lane, but will have trouble staying in a straight line
Slow Driving: May be driving overly cautious and slower than traffic
Jerking: Driver may have short mental lapses and not keep a steady speed on a clear road
Quick Stops: Driver may not ease to a stop at stop signs or traffic lights, but rather slam brakes at last second
BEING A GOOD HOST & THE DRINKING
DRIVER
 Make sure food is available
 Do not over serve
 Offer a place to stay, call for cab, or notify police
 DO NOT let person drive home, will become legally involved in a drunk driving
accident
DESIGNATED DRIVERS
 First state to launch the HERO Campaign for designated drivers
 Drive the car for individuals who have been drinking
 Take great responsibility in the title
 Ensures safety of other drivers as well
 A driver who drives someone else’s car and receives a DUI means the owner of the
car can receive a DUI as well
DRUGS & DRIVING
 Illegal to operate any vehicle in NJ under the influence of any illegal drugs
 Check prescription drugs’ side effects i.e. may cause drowsiness/sleepiness
 Never mix drugs with drugs or drugs with alcohol
 If using prescription drugs must show proof to police officer if they ask
 If a person does not possess a prescription for a drug in their possession then it is
considered illegal
DRUGS & DRIVING CONTINUED
 After alcohol, marijuana is the second leading drug found to be in possession and drivers to be
under the influence of
 Marijuana may cause drivers to:
Loss of tracking ability: Drivers will not be able to maintain a straight line
Distance Judgment: Drivers may tailgate and follow to closely
Vigilance: Not being able to pay attention to driving cause a driver to tailgate, drift into another
lane etc.
Divided Attention: To not notice driving signs, road hazards, etc.
HEALTHY DRIVING
 Health- Any cold, sickness, injury could affect one’s ability to drive affectively
 Vision-State law allows MVC to retest 1o% of the driving population each year. A
motorist should get their vision tested at least every 2 years. Over the age of 40
should get their eyes checked every year. The ability to judge distance is a major
component to driving
 Hearing- The ability to hear a horn or siren is a major component of driving.
Sometimes a car can be heard and not seen. Never wear earphones or have the
radio too loud.
THE END