Transcript 7-Module-PowerPointx

Alcohol and other Drugs
Module 7
Objectives: Students will learn how the use of alcohol and
other drugs create serious problems for young novice drivers
Topics Covered are:
Identify legal, health and economic consequences with the
use of alcohol and other drugs
Discuss the physiological and psychological affects of alcohol
and other drugs and their impact on drivers
Learn the consequences of aggressive driving
Analyze the affects of fatigue and other physical conditions
that impact drivers
Drinking and Driving
Making good decisions about alcohol and other
drugs will save not only your life, but others on the
highway.
– Having a drivers license is a privilege and
provides a sense of freedom; however,
operating a vehicle safely and responsibly
begins with you
– Recognize that alcohol is a DRUG—an illegal
drug when consumed while driving for everyone
A drug is any substance that changes the way the
body or brain works
Drinking and Driving
It is important that you recognize that a car is a
WEAPON—when you mix alcohol and a vehicle,
they become a deadly cocktail
– In 2000, 21% of drivers between 15-20 years old were
killed in alcohol related crashes—DWI related crashes
occur approximately every 23 minutes
There were 11,773 drunk driving deaths in the US in
2008
Drinking and driving are the greatest causes of
highway crashes--between 10 pm and 2 am--1
out of every 10 drivers are intoxicated
Marijuana is the second drug most often found in
crashes – after alcohol – it affects the driver’s ability
to keep the car in the lane
Legal Consequences—Driving and Drinking
Drinking and driving is illegal at any age—a drivers
ability is affected by one drink
Every state has a ZERO Tolerance Law—drivers
under 21 with a BAC of .02 or above may lose their
license, face criminal charges, or worse run the risk
of killing or severely injuring yourself or someone else
When operating a vehicle in NC—you agree to take a
chemical test under the implied consent law
A driver can be charged with DWI when drinking
alcohol and driving, using prescription drugs and
driving, and using over the counter drugs and
driving—DWI is a criminal offense
Legal Consequences—Driving and Drinking
Driving ability is affected by:
– Illegal, prescription and over the counter
drugs–always read and check with the doctor
or pharmacist for side effects
– If your BAC is .08 or more--your license will
be automatically suspended for 7 days
A teenage driver with a BAC of .08 -.09 is 40
times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash
than a sober teenage driver
BAC (blood alcohol concentration) levels as low
as .01 will affect judgment, vision, and the ability
to predict and make clear decisions
You Get Pulled Over – What To Do
Don't panic--try to just stay calm
Get over to the right side of the road
You will be asked for your driver's license, vehicle
registration, and proof of insurance
Stay in your car. If you get out of the car, the cop
might see that as a threat
– If they think you've been drinking, they may ask
you to take a sobriety test or use a Breathalyzer
Just do what you're asked to do
– Don’t cry—this is perceived as weak
– Be respectful and patient while they run your
information through the computer
– Take the ticket and be on your way--you have the
right to dispute it in traffic court
Physiological/Psychological Effects of Alcohol
Recognize the following factors:
– Alcohol is a depressant--it has the same effect as
tranquilizers on the body--when mixed together with
driving, they are greater than the effect of each
– A person’s driving ability is affected by one drink
– No two individuals are the same when having the
same number of drinks, variables include:
The amount of alcohol consumed can be
measured by a chemical test that determines the
blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) -- which
measures your level of intoxication
Physiological/Psychological Effects of Alcohol
Concentration is the percentage of alcohol in relations to the
total amount of blood in the body
The amount of time the alcohol is consumed—the more you
drink in a shorter period, the more concentration the BAC—
90% of the alcohol is burned up by your liver
Body weight — larger individuals have more blood and other
fluids in their bodies—their BAC will be lower than that of
smaller individuals
Gender — women do not process alcohol as well as men-there is a limited production of the enzyme “dehydrogenase”
in a woman’s bloodstream
– This does not mean that a woman cannot drink as much-a woman will absorb more alcohol into her blood if she
drinks the same volume as a man—it will take longer to
remove the alcohol from her blood stream
Facts of Alcohol and other Drugs on Driving
Alcohol has both immediate and long term effects on
the body
– Short term includes impaired judgment,
personality, mood swings, aggressive acts,
dizziness, slurred speech, and disturbed sleep
– Long term includes permanent damage to vital
organs such as cirrhosis of the liver, damage to the
heart, and destruction of brain nerve cells
As a person’s BAC goes up, his/her field of vision is
reduced
One of the first things affected by alcohol is a
person’s judgment
Facts of Alcohol and other Drugs on Driving
Time is the only effective way to lower the BAC;
however, food may reduce the effects of alcohol on
the body by coating the lining of the stomach
Most medications for colds or allergies will affect your
driving ability
An alcoholic beverage which is 80 proof has 40%
alcohol (“proof” is out of 200, so divide it in half to get
the percentage)
It would take someone with a BAC of .045
approximately 3 hours to eliminate all the alcohol
from the body
When comparing alcohol beverages (beer, wine,
whiskey), you must know the size of the drink and
alcoholic content of the drink
Alcohol and Space Management
Alcohol and other drugs impair your ability –
beginning with the first drink
– Space management—vision, understanding,
decisions on course of action--your ability to
search, evaluate, and execute are impaired
– Coordination may produce a double image
– Distance judgment--determining how far objects
are from your path of travel
– Peripheral vision—critical vision with driving--lose
the ability to observe potential dangers
– Visual Acuity—vision is impaired and blurred
– Night Vision—alcohol reduces the control of light
entering the eyes
Causes, Symptoms and Dangers of Fatigue
There are three types of fatigue that may affect your
driving ability:
– Lack of rest or sleep
– Driving long hours—operational fatigue
– Personal Circadian Rhythm Fatigue—the body’s
down time
When driving—risk is always present—be
aware of everything around you is important
and fatigue can dull your senses.
– REST IS THE ONLY SAFE REMEDY FOR
FATIGUE
Causes, Symptoms, and Dangers of Fatigue
Avoid long drives unless physically fit—be well
rested before starting out
Avoid driving long stretches—make periodic stops
Keep your eyes moving—avoid starring at a fixed
position, force your eyes to scan, and use orderly
visual search patterns to keep your eyes moving and
mind alert
Avoid leaning forward—it will hinder your ability to
control your vehicle properly
Let in fresh air—ventilate your vehicle and allow
fresh air in the vehicle
Preventing Road Rage
Road Rage—is violent anger exhibited when driving
– 18-26 year old males are the most common group of
drivers who commit road rage
Reckless Driving—is any driving threat that endangers life,
limb or property, or driving 20 mph or faster than posted
speed limit
Aggressive drivers are reckless drivers who operate a
motor vehicle with the intent to annoy, harass, molest,
intimidate, injure, or obstruct another person
– Behaviors of aggressive drivers are: complaining,
rushing, competing, resisting, yelling, cursing, starring,
honking, insulting, cutting off, blocking, chasing, fighting,
shooting
– Traffic congestion is most often the trigger of aggressive
driving—secondary roads have fewer occurrences
– It is never a good idea to use your horn with aggressive
drivers
– You can get a ticket for aggressive driving; this is the
highest-penalized ticket that you can get!