DRINKING AND DRIVING

"Go ahead – destroy your car. But don't be in it when you do it.
If you're buzzed – you're drunk. Don't drive." – Sendhil Ramamurthy, Heroes

What You Should Know...

Alcohol-related car crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and injure someone every two minutes. Though the rate of drunk driving has gone down by over 50 percent in the last twenty years, it has been stagnant over the last few years, signaling a need for more attention surrounding the issue. Today, drunk driving costs about $51 billion and over 17,000 lives each year. By taking simple precautions, we can help make the roads safer for both drivers and pedestrians.

The law

Alcohol-related accidents involve a driver or pedestrian who has a measurable amount of alcohol in his or her blood. In 2006 alone, alcohol was involved in 41 percent of crash fatalities.

In all fifty states and the District of Columbia, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over 0.08 percent. The BAC percentage is the weight of alcohol (in milligrams) per 100 milliliters of blood. As alcohol enters the body, it is absorbed by the stomach and small intestine and eventually reaches the bloodstream, which carries it throughout the body.

It usually takes anywhere from 30 to 70 minutes to measure alcohol consumption in the body. The more a person drinks, the higher the BAC level, yet those who drink faster will reach a higher BAC than those who drink over a longer period of time. Factors like weight and gender also affect a person's BAC; alcohol usually stays in women longer than men, while those who weigh more usually have a lower BAC level due to more water being present in the body.

Different people have varying tolerances for alcohol. While a certain amount may cause one person to be overtly drunk, another individual may only become "buzzed." Oftentimes, buzzed drivers do not consider themselves a hazard on the road, even though statistics show that their behavior can be just as dangerous as drunk drivers. People in a tipsy state still experience the effects of alcohol on their body and should not get behind the wheel.

In addition to BAC regulations, all states have a zero tolerance policy for drivers under the age of 21, as the risk of alcohol-related accidents is greater for teens than adults. In 2005, 23 percent of drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 who died in car crashes had a BAC of at least 0.08 percent. In addition, men ages 18-20 reported driving under the influence more frequently than any other age group.

What You Can Do...

While local law enforcement teams monitor the roads and put up sobriety checkpoints in order to prevent drunk driving injuries, prevention is the responsibility of each individual. By following some basic guidelines, you can save both your life and the lives of those around you.

• Don't drive
  Buzzed driving is drunk driving. Do not get behind the wheel if you are feeling tipsy.


• Stay safe
  Never get into a car with a drunk driver. Ask a friend or call a cab to bring you home.


• Plan ahead
  Designate a driver at the beginning of the night. By appointing a designated driver, everyone is always assured a safe ride home.


• Take precautions
  Always stay safe on the road. Wear a safety belt, make sure your car has airbags and be a defensive driver.


• Time your driving
  Avoid driving after midnight, especially on weekends.


• Keep others safe
  Never let a friend drive home drunk. Take their keys, have them stay the night, call a cab- do whatever you can to keep them off the road.


• Be a good host
  Serve food and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Don't let guests drive after they have been drinking.


• Be a good citizen
  Report drunk drivers on the road to law enforcement officials. Signs of drunk driving include weaving, straddling the center line, tailgating and wide turns. Then keep a safe distance from them on the road.


• Don't mix
  Never mix alcohol with prescription drugs without clearing it with your doctor first.

To Know More...

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  1-888-327-4236
  www.nhtsa.dot.gov
  www.stopimpaireddriving.org

More resources...

• www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
  Calculate your BAC, determine how many calories you consume through alcohol, calculate how much money you spend on drinking and even send e-cards to your friends.



• www.alcoholism.about.com/
  Learn about the most common myths surrounding alcohol consumption.



• www.checkyourself.org/
  Take the quiz to find out whether you have a healthy relationship with alcohol. You can also read people's stories and speak with others on the message boards.