How Drinking Affects A Driver

When you drink, the alcohol quickly reaches the blood stream from the stomach, and quickly begins to affect the functioning of the brain. It slows reactions, interferes with vision, and reduces your sense of responsibility. Judgment, hearing, speech, and balance are impaired in relation to the level of alcohol in the blood. At the same time, alcohol creates a false sense of confidence, and a feeling your driving is not affected. The fact is that every additional drink lowers your effectiveness behind the wheel. It also puts you in a higher risk category. If you drink and drive, you may lose your driving privileges, and worse yet, perhaps your life, or take someone else’s life. Think about it. It’s not worth it.

ALCOHOL • DRUGS • DRIVING

Alcohol use is a significant factor in fatal motor vehicle crashes in USA. Almost 45 percent of all traffic deaths each year involve alcohol. It is known that other drugs, and especially the combination of alcohol and drugs, contribute to a significant number of motor vehicle crashes each year.

DRUGS

• There are other drugs or substances that also interfere with a person’s ability to drive safely. Here are a few things you should remember:
• When taking prescription medicine, ask your doctor about any possible side effects that relate to driving.
• Drugs, including some allergy remedies and cold pills which you can buy without prescription may contain compounds that can affect your driving.
• Amphetamines are used in stimulants and diet pills. Overdosage of these, and other drugs like tranquilizers or sedatives, can make driving dangerous.
• Never drive after using illegal drugs. These are especially dangerous because there is usually no way to be certain of their strength or purity.

Most of the states law in USA also forbids driving under the influence of “any controlled substance,” which includes narcotic and non-narcotic drugs. This does not include only “illegal” drugs. The penalties for driving under the influence of a controlled substance are the same as outlined previously for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Drugs have been shown to impair driving ability. Certain prescribed drugs can cause drowsiness and decreased alertness. The combination of other drugs and alcohol increases the effects of each individual drug. It has been estimated that at least 25 percent of the prescription drugs used today are capable of interacting with alcohol. Therefore, it is important for you to be cautious about drinking alcoholic beverages if you’re taking medication. Such combinations can be fatal, especially if you’re driving.

Category:

• Auto tech to drive safely

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