Driver Risk Prevention Curriculum Drinking, Drugs & Driving State of New Hampshire Departments of Education and Safety Division of Program Support State of New Hampshire Departments of Education and Safety Division of Program Support

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Objective Understand the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol and other drugs on the driving task

An alcohol related crash occurs every two minutes in the US

Annually thousands are injured and more than 50 are killed on New Hampshire roadways. The reason; drivers under the influence of alcohol and other drugs!

In fact, Impaired drivers kill and injure more people than all other violent criminals put together. SOURCE: ODOT TSD In fact, Impaired drivers kill and injure more people than all other violent criminals put together. SOURCE: ODOT TSD

Driving while impaired whether by alcohol, by other drugs, or by alcohol and one or more other drugs combined, is a major health and safety problem Alcohol is the most widely used drug and the one most often linked to motor vehicle crashes. Driving while impaired whether by alcohol, by other drugs, or by alcohol and one or more other drugs combined, is a major health and safety problem Alcohol is the most widely used drug and the one most often linked to motor vehicle crashes.

So if you drive… what about drinking?

Alcohol Affects the Body BRAINImpaired brain function LUNGS.Infection; breathing can stop HEART.Irregular heart beat LIVER.Alcoholic hepatitis & cirrhosis STOMACH. Stomach irritation, peptic ulcers, bleeding lesions and cancer INTESTINES & PANCREAS. Intestinal tract & colon damage, inflammation, ulcers, inflamed pancreas and cancer BONES & MUSCLES Weaker and thinner bones (osteoporosis); weaker and uncoordinated muscles Source: VA ABC Department

Alcohol is a drug which depresses the central nervous system. As a depressant, alcohol slows the activity of the brain and the spinal cord. Unlike most food, alcohol does not have to be digested. Once swallowed, it is absorbed directly into the blood stream through the walls of the stomach and small intestine within one to two minutes. However, if there is food in the stomach, this absorption process may be slowed. Once in the bloodstream, the alcohol is distributed to all parts of the body, including the brain and liver. Alcohol Affects the Body Source: VA ABC Department

Myths & Facts Fact: Your driving skills can be seriously compromised even when your behavior is not obviously “drunk”. Myth: I’ll know when I’m too drunk to drive Myth: “I only had one drink.” Fact: One drink can be one too many, since alcohol absorption starts immediately. Several factors such as strength of drink, rate of consumption, body size/weight, food, gender and drug use can affect the outcome of even one drink. Myth: “Black coffee and fresh air will sober me up.” Fact: All the age-old remedies – black coffee, cold showers, fresh air and exercise – are useless. Only time will sober you up.

SEQUENCE OF GROWTH A – Vital Functions  Heart, Lungs B – Muscle Control  Fine Motor Control C – Higher Learning Center Judgment & Reasoning Progression of Mental Development A B C

Progression of Alcohols Sedative Effects SEQUENCE OF EFFECTS C – Higher Learning Center Judgment & Reasoning B – Muscle Control  Fine Motor Control A – Vital Functions  Heart, Lungs C A B

Immediate Effects of Alcohol Decision Making Release of Inhibitions.04 Reflexes Coordination/Motor Ability.10 Confusion/Disorientation.15 Stupor Coma Death.40 or more * BAC LEVEL* * Effect begins at this BAC Rate and continues to deteriorate as BAC rises

As the amount of alcohol in the blood increases, several things happen to the body Vision becomes impaired Depth perception becomes distorted and the pupils of the eyes react more slowly to variations in light Coordination deteriorates Eyes can become fixated (stare) Because vision is distorted, scanning and orderly visual searching are reduced The ability to solve problems is reduced and the ability to recall past events or learned knowledge is diminished The mind simply cannot manage to put it all together and, as a result, the person may exhibit poor judgment Inhibitions (persons inner voice that restrains or holds back impulsive behaviors) are reduced Euphoric feelings can cause drivers to take risks they normally wouldn’t Alcohol Affects the Body

Dynamic vision, the ability to following moving objects with the eyes, is affected by alcohol Drivers have difficulty tracking other vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians Judging speed changes of other vehicles is adversely affected with low doses of alcohol Less use of the field of vision causing drivers to concentrate on the center of the path of travel and failing to see important events to the sides Drivers have difficulty adjusting to changing light conditions, especially at night; resulting in decreased ability to see pedestrians Target areas become blurry Scanning becomes erratic When dazzled by sharp light it takes a longer time before being able to see clearly again Alcohol Affects Ones Vision

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) (may also be referred to as Blood- Alcohol Level) is a measure of the amount of alcohol in a person’s blood expressed as a percent by volume As your BAC level rises, so does your risk of being involved in a fatal crash. Blood Alcohol Content

AS OF JULY 2004, ALL U.S. STATES HAVE.08 BAC LAWS If an individual has a BAC of.08% BAC (8/100 of 1% alcohol), this means that there is 8/10 of a drop of alcohol for every 1000 drops of blood in a person’s body. Blood Alcohol Content Law of the Land

BAC can be determined by testing a person's blood, breath, urine, or saliva. Testing the breath is the quickest, least complicated and most frequently used test to determine BAC. Blood Alcohol Content

Factors Influencing BAC Levels Weight Time Spent Drinking Gender Food Alcohol Content Size of Drink

Ethyl Alcohol Content Varies 12 oz. Regular Beer 1 oz 80 o Whiskey 12 oz. Cooler 2 oz Margarita BREEZER OR COOLER 1.5 oz tequila(80 o ),.5 oz triple sec (60 o ) Source: AAA

Crunching the Numbers 80 o 1 oz ounces of ethyl alcohol 0.40 ounces of ethyl alcohol 4.5% 12 oz ounces of ethyl alcohol 0.54 ounces of ethyl alcohol 5.0% 12 oz ounces of ethyl alcohol 0.60 ounces of ethyl alcohol MARGARITA Tequila (80 o ) Triple sec (60 o ) 1.5 oz. 0.5 oz ounces of ethyl alcohol = 0.75 ounces of ethyl alcohol MARGARITA =88% more alcohol… than a shot of whiskey. COOLER =50% more alcohol… than a shot of whiskey. BEER =35% more alcohol… than a shot of whiskey. BREEZER OR COOLER Source: AAA

Amount of Alcohol in Drinks Vary Know that not all drinks contain equal amounts of alcohol The alcoholic content of any one drink depends upon both the type and amount of liquor it contains Some mixed drinks contain only one ounce of liquor others contain two ounces of liquor Drinks mixed by a host or hostess at a private party can be even stronger Beer has the same effect as straight scotch

How Much is Too Much? WeightBAC Ounces of BAC Ounces ofBAC Ounces of Female Light Beer Light Beer Light Beer Female Light Beer Light Beer Light Beer oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz. Basic Assumption: 12 oz of Light Beer = 1 oz of 86 proof liquor (.43 oz per drink) Under 21 years old Zero Tolerance

How Much is Too Much? WeightBAC Ounces of BAC Ounces ofBAC Ounces of Male Light Beer Light Beer Light Beer Male Light Beer Light Beer Light Beer oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz oz. Basic Assumption: 12 oz of Light Beer = 1 oz of 86 proof liquor (.43 oz per drink) Under 21 years old Zero Tolerance

PROCESS TIME FACTORS Breath Urine Sweat } 10% LIVER 90% About BAC Reduction Per Hour Therefore:BAC of 0.05 = 3.5 hours for removal BAC of 0.07 = 5.0 hours for removal BAC of 0.10 = 7.0 hours for removal BAC of 0.15 = 10.0 hours for removal Assumption: Adult male lbs. with normal liver function Elimination of Alcohol

ELIMINATION RATE HRS HITS PEAK BAC 1:00 am INTOXICATED LEGALLY 7:00 am IMPAIRED 9:00 am STOPS DRINKING 12:30 am ELIMINATIONABSORPTION BECOMES SOBER 1:00 pm STARTS DRINKING 9:00 pm 5 Source: AAA

Affects of Alcohol on Driving Risk of Crash Death Much Greater Even at Low BAC Levels (2.5% Increase Risk) Vision Attention Perception Reaction Time Tracking, Steering Information Processing Coordination

Relative Risk of Death in a Crash for yr. Olds by BAC Level BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT INCREASED RISK OF DEATH INCREASED RISK OF DEATH AND GREATER 2.5% 9.0% 40.0% 90.0% 420.0% STUDY INCLUDES COMPARISON OF SINGLE VEHICLE COLLISIONS IN AGE GROUP

Don’t be Deluded Drinking and Driving is…  Deceptive  Dangerous  Destructive  Disabling  Deadly

Zero Tolerance Law Under 21 BAC above.02% NHRSA 265 – A:2 Over 21 Under.08 but over.03 could still result in a DWI conviction under the laws of evidence. NHRSA 265 – A:11

Legal Ramifications In New Hampshire, Operating under the influence of drugs or Liquor, First offense: Class B Misdemeanor, fine not less than $500.00, must attend impaired driver intervention program prior to getting license back, driver license revoked for not less than 9 months to 2 years. RSA 265-A:18 Aggravated OUI is Class A misdemeanor, Fine not less than $ mandatory sentence of not less than 10 consecutive days (3 county Jail, 7 MOP), License revoked for 18 months – 2 years Aggravated OUI with serious injury/death – class B felony

Other Legal Ramifications Implied Consent Law RSA 265 –A:4 Open Container Law RSA 265 – A:44 Unlawful Possession RSA 179:10 In NH you can be charged with Unlawful Possession and intoxication if you are under 21 & possess any amount of alcohol, even if you have consumed none of it, even if it is in a sealed container. You can be charged with this if you are under 21 and consume any amount of alcohol,. 02% Unlawful Possession is punishable by a fine up to $300 for a first offense.

So if you’re going to drive…

And if you’re going to drink…

OTHER DRUGS CATEGORIES Nonprescription & Over the Counter Prescription Illegal or Illicit TYPES Hallucinogens Stimulants Depressants

Stimulants Drugs that speed up the central nervous system Nicotine Amphetamines Caffeine Depressants Drugs that slow the central nervous system Alcohol Barbiturates Sleeping pills Tranquilizers Narcotics ─ heroin, codeine, morphine

Gives user a feeling of high energy and alertness leading to increased risk taking Sometimes used to try and stay awake when tired Reduced reaction time, impair motor skills, dims vision Aggressive and overconfident Become very relaxed Lose inhibitions Irritability Confusion Drowsy Dizzy Poor hand-eye coordination Effects of Stimulants Effects of Depressants: Effects of Depressants:

Hallucinogens Unpredictable mind altering drugs that alter personality. Examples include: Cannabis (Marijuana, Hashish) LSD PCP – angel dust Psilocybin Volatile (household inhalants )

Marijuana hinders the user's short-term memory and he/she may have trouble handling complex tasks Because of the drug’s effects on perceptions and reaction time, users could be involved in automobile crashes Marijuana causes acute effects on impairment for up to 4-6 hours following typical recreational use Marijuana and Driving

Following cannabis use critical skills for safe operation of motor vehicles include: Measures of coordination Tracking Vigilance Memory Learning Attention Perception & Information processing Decision making Distance judgment Research has shown that marijuana effects may continue up to 24 hours after use

Physical Effects of Hallucinogens Can cause panic or terror Distort sense of direction, distance, and time Impairs judgment and decision-making Fragmented thought process Coordination (acceleration and braking control) Altered depth perception Drowsiness Impaired vision Impaired spatial relationships and passage of time

OTHER DRUGS: Methamphetamine Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive and violent drug Commonly known as: Meth Speed Chalk Crystal Crank Glass Ice

Methamphetamine Abusers suffer paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects creeping on the skin) The paranoia can result in homicidal as well as suicidal thoughts Impairment causes distraction, disorientation, motor excitation, hyperactive reflexes, general cognitive impairment, or withdrawal and fatigue Methamphetamine may cause dizziness, blurred vision, or restlessness, and it may hide the symptoms of extreme tiredness

Methamphetamine In studies of drive-off-the-road type crashes, high speed, failing to stop, diminished divided attention, inattentive driving, impatience, and high risk driving have been reported. Significant impairment of driving performance would also be expected during drug withdrawal. Driving and driver behaviors included speeding, lane travel, erratic driving, accidents, nervousness, rapid and non-stop speech, unintelligible speech, disorientation, agitation, staggering and awkward movements, irrational or violent behavior, and unconsciousness.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) Examples include: Aspirin or other pain relievers Cold and allergy remedies Arthritis and back pain medications Physical effects of OTC drugs: Drowsiness, dizziness, slowed reaction time and poor judgment Always read the labels and know the effects that can occur!

Combining Drugs  Combining drugs, or combining other drugs with alcohol will increase the effects of both.  This combination is called the synergistic effect and is extremely dangerous. += Dangerous Synergistic Effect !

Decision Making Filters  Does it Solve the Problem?  What do I have to Gain; to Lose?  Will it pass the test of time (is the solution lasting)?  Is it right (legal, ethical, moral)?  How will this choice affect (me, others, and/or property)?  Am I proud of my choice (willing to share my choice with:) Family? Friends? Work, profession, school associates? Community and church members, neighbors?  Willing to have it as Front Page Headlines?  Does it make the face in the mirror look good?

Its All About Decisions Split Second Hyperlinked Video – click to play Split Second