Chapter 7: Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Driving

Start working on the 8 questions on page 147.

Objective: Understanding the effects of alcohol and drugs on driver performance

What kind of Drug is Alcohol? Alcohol is a depressant. The more you drink, the more "depressed"

your brain activity becomes.  As you continue to drink and alcohol levels increase, specific parts of the brain are affected more significantly.

Alcohol has the greatest effect on the parts of the brain that control judgment and reasoning and then physical abilities become impaired soon afterward.

Stages of Intoxication

1. Alcohol affects our inhibitions, this person is very happy and very sociable, relaxed, and talkative .02 to .06 BAC

2. This person is excited and shows erratic behavior, enter ear is affected, this person may fall. Drop things. Can't judge distance..08 to .10 BAC

3. This person gets confused, starts staggering, is very moody and has exaggerated fear, may be unable to stand or walk .15 to .20 BAC

4. At this stage the whole brain is affected. This person goes into a coma, becoming unconscious, and this may result in death from respiratory paralysis. .20 to .40 BAC

What Determines Blood Alcohol Concentration?

BAC is determined by the amount of alcohol you drink (more alcohol means higher BAC), how fast you drink (faster drinking means higher BAC), and your weight (a small person doesn't have to drink as much to reach the same BAC).

As your BAC continues to go up, The effects on your driving may

include: Straddling lanes. Quick, jerky starts. Not signaling, failure to use lights. Running stop signs and red lights. Improper passing.

.

one 12 oz. beerat 4% alcohol (look at the label)

  one 1.5 oz shot of hard liquor at 40% alcohol

or 80 proof

one 5 oz. glass of wine

ONE DRINK =

DRINKS

Body weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

100 lb. .038 .075 .113 .150 .188 .225 .263 .300 .338 .375 .413 .450

110 lb. .034 .066 .103 .137 .172 .207 .241 .275 .309 .344 .379 .412

120 lb. .031 .063 .094 .125 .156 .188 .219 .250 .281 .313 .344 .375

130 lb. .029 .058 .087 .116 .145 .174 .203 .232 .261 .290 .320 .348

140 lb. .027 .054 .080 .107 .134 .161 .188 .214 .241 .268 .295 .321

150 lb. .025 .050 .075 .100 .125 .151 .176 .201 .226 .251 .276 .301

160 lb. .023 .047 .070 .094 .117 .141 .164 .188 .211 .234 .258 .281

170 lb. .022 .045 .066 .088 .110 .132 .155 .178 .200 .221 .244 .265

180 lb. .021 .042 .063 .083 .104 .125 .146 .167 .188 .208 .229 .250

190 lb. .020 .040 .059 .079 .099 .119 .138 .158 .179 .198 .217 .237

Implied-Consent Law

Anyone who receives a driver’s license automatically consents to be tested for BAC and other drugs if stopped for suspicion of drug use while driving.

* Breath-Test Machine

* Field Sobriety

* Blood Test

BAC level for DUI is .08Drivers under the age of 21 the BAC level

for DUI is .02

DRINKS

Body weight

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

100 lb. .038 .075 .113 .150 .188 .225 .263 .300 .338 .375 .413 .450

110 lb. .034 .066 .103 .137 .172 .207 .241 .275 .309 .344 .379 .412

120 lb. .031 .063 .094 .125 .156 .188 .219 .250 .281 .313 .344 .375

130 lb. .029 .058 .087 .116 .145 .174 .203 .232 .261 .290 .320 .348

140 lb. .027 .054 .080 .107 .134 .161 .188 .214 .241 .268 .295 .321

150 lb. .025 .050 .075 .100 .125 .151 .176 .201 .226 .251 .276 .301

160 lb. .023 .047 .070 .094 .117 .141 .164 .188 .211 .234 .258 .281

170 lb. .022 .045 .066 .088 .110 .132 .155 .178 .200 .221 .244 .265

180 lb. .021 .042 .063 .083 .104 .125 .146 .167 .188 .208 .229 .250

190 lb. .020 .040 .059 .079 .099 .119 .138 .158 .179 .198 .217 .237

CAN YOU AFFORD A NEARLY $10,000 NIGHT ON THE TOWN?

Offense Fine Jail Time License Revocation1st.Convict. $350.00 48 hours One (1) Year2nd.Convict $600.00 45 days Two (2) Years 3rd. Convict. $1,100.00 120 days (3) - (10) Years

7 Myths About Alcohol

1. Drinking is a risk-free activity. 2. You can't survive without drinking. 3. Alcohol is a magic potion that can

transform you. 4. I can drive better after a few drinks.

5. You can sober up by taking a cold shower or drinking coffee.

6. If these products were truly dangerous, the media would tell us. Companies spend $2 billion annually on advertising and promotion. So they don’t want to tell us about the 100,000 deaths a year that alcohol contributes to.

7. I not going to get drunk I’m only drinking Wine-coolers

Can you name any more?

Several ways people can help curtail drinking and driving:

Take a cab if you're planning to go out on the town or go to a party by yourself.

If you're partying with a group of friends, have a "designated driver" --

If you drive to a party, give your keys to the host or a trusted friend who won't let you drive if you've had too much to drink.

If you're hosting a party, be sure to have non-alcoholic beverages available,

What Drugs Affect Driving Ability?

Over-the-Counter Drugs Prescription Drugs Depressants Stimulants Hallucinogens Marijuana LSD and PCP

Tennessee

Practice Test #1: Alcohol

1 If you have had several beers before driving, the effects of alcohol will be reduced only by:

a. Taking a cold shower

b. waiting several hours

c. drinking several cups of coffee

2. When taking any medicine, you should:

a. consult your doctor about the effects before driving

b. have someone follow you home

c. keep your window open and drive more slowly

3. The amount of alcohol in the blood is referred to as:

a. implied consent (IC) b. blood alcohol concentration

(BAC) c. rate of alcohol consumption

(RAC)

4. Driving under the influence (DUI) for a first conviction is determined by which blood alcohol concentration?

a. 05% b. 08% c. 50%

5. Alcohol in any concentration is:

a. a stimulant b. a depressant c. neither of the above

6. If you have a BAC of .10%, you are _______ times more likely to cause an accident than if you were sober.

a. 3 b. 5 c. 7

7.Which of the following driving skills is/are affected by the use of alcohol and/or drugs?

a. alertness

b. coordination

c. both of the above

8. Driving while under the influence of drugs carries:

a. The same penalty as for alcohol

b. absolutely no penalty c. a lesser penalty than for

alcohol

9. If you have had three beers in the past hour, about how long will it take for all the alcohol to leave your blood stream?

a. one hour b. two hours c. three hours

10. Which of the following substances can affect the ability to drive?

a. tranquilizers, marijuana and sedatives

b. cough syrups and cold tablets containing codeine or antihistamines

c. all of the above