drinking & you - Drinking & Driving

THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK BEFORE YOU DRIVE

Common sense tells us to drink responsibly at any time and especially if you are planning to drive. The US The US Senate in October 2000 approved a national blood standard of .08 BAC as the standard for determining drunk driving.

A standard drink will raise your blood alcohol level by approximately .04 BAC, or even .05 if a woman drinking without food. Remember your blood alcohol level will rise more quickly if you have a drink on an empty stomach, but alcohol will stay in your body for longer if you drink with food. On average your liver will break down ¾ of a unit an hour. If you have drunk heavily the night before you may risk still being over the limit the next morning. For more information visit www.b4udrink.org

A standard drink is equivalent to a 5 ounce glass of wine, a 12 ounce regular beer and 1.5 ounce 80 proof distilled spirits.

The US Department of Transport believes that the .08 BAC measure will reduce drunk driving fatalities by 500 per annum.

REMEMBER

Some States include a lesser charge - often known as driving while impaired - at a BAC of, for example, .05% or above but less than the legal limit for the more serious charge.

The legal limit for aircraft pilots and commercial drivers in the U.S. is set at 0.04%.

A Drink is defined as


		5 fluid ounces of wine (100 calories)

	12 fluid ounces of regular beer (150 calories)


	1.5 fluid ounce (jigger) of 80-proof distilled spirits (100 calories)

Also, in many States, persons under 21 who purchase, or even attempt or conspire to purchase, alcohol can have their driving privileges suspended (if they already are licensed drivers) or delayed (if not) even if they were not caught actually driving while intoxicated.

All 50 states and Washington D.C have zero tolerance laws (that is no alcohol in your blood at all) for drivers under 21.

When you get a driver's license you automatically give your consent to take a blood test to measure your BAC

Don't risk it

If you drink over the limit and drive you risk imprisonment, fines, and disqualification from driving. You also risk other people's lives as well as your own. SO if you're going to drink make sure you nominate a designated driver

Click the logo to watch the movie (.wmv file)

Designated Driver Program

The designated driver program asks that motorists always designate a driver when travelling after consuming alcohol or take a taxi.

The designated driver program asks that motorists always designate a driver when travelling after consuming alcohol or to take a cab.

What does a designated driver do?

Drinks only non-alcoholic beverages
Provides safer and sober transportation home for companions.

A designated driver provides "life-insurance" for a group’s trip home and helps friends avoid embarrassment, keep their driving licenses and avoid fines and jail terms.

Designated driver programs have helped lower drink driving fatalities by 41% since 1982 according to the US Department of Transportation. The public accepts that promoting the use of designated drivers is a good way to help reduce the problems of drunk driving.

112 Million Americans have been a designated driver or have been driven by one.

For information on BAC levels and the law relating to countries worldwide please click here

[ Link: "Click on a State to View State Drunk Driving Statistics" ]

Disclaimer

Other links