Transcript December: Drunk & Drugged Driving Awareness Month Deaths

Some important info follows about
DRUNK & DRUGGED DRIVING
so please…
December: Drunk & Drugged
Driving Awareness Month
Deaths due to impaired
driving are highest
during the holiday
season!
You are never too
young to start thinking
about safe driving!
In 2006, an 17,602 people died in alcoholrelated traffic crashes—an average of
1 every 30 minutes.
3 in every 10 Americans will be
involved in an alcohol-related
crash in their lives!
Don’t Become a Statistic!
The leading cause of
death for teens aged
15 to 24 in N.J.
every year since
1988 has been car
accidents.
Most of these
involve alcohol.
So why do teens drink & drive?
Teens are more likely to
take dangerous risks.
Alcohol interferes with their
Judgment and Common Sense!
Alcohol makes something that is
dangerous seem harmless and safe.
So… alcohol can cause poor
decision making, resulting in car
crashes, injuries, death.,
What is Alcohol’s Effect
on the Brain?
1. Depresses? (slows it down).
or
2. Stimulates? (speeds it up).
or
3. No effect at all.
The Answer:
2. Depresses. (slows down the brain)
Alcohol is in the Depressant Class of Drugs:
It slows reaction time
It decreases attention and alertness
It causes poor coordination
It causes poor judgment
SPECIAL WARNING FOR TEENS:
Binge drinking can cause
DEATH
The legal drinking age is 21 to insure a
person is fully developed both
physically and emotionally to make a
responsible decision about alcohol.
Teens who binge drink are more
likely than any other age group to
die from alcohol overdose/poisoning.
Marijuana also Impairs Driving!
• Many Teens view marijuana as a
“harmless” drug that does not impair
driving ability.
• Marijuana affects many skills required
for safe driving: alertness,
concentration, coordination, and
reaction time.
• Marijuana use can make it difficult to
judge distances and react to signals
and sounds on the road.
Did You Know Alcohol Abuse
Also contributes to
• Cancer
• Liver Disease
• Heart Disease
• Injuries
All this can happen
from Alcohol?
How to Stay SAFE as a Passenger
Don’t ride with a driver who
has been drinking!
Promise never to drink and
drive!
Always wear a seatbelt!
Don’t distract someone who
is driving!
Don’t ride with a driver who
drives recklessly!
BE SAFE AND WAIT
The Legal
Drinking Age
and…
Please
NEVER
drink and
drive!
The results will
make everyone sad