Drunk Driving and BAC

NEWSLETTER

March 2015

Drunk Driving and BAC

A brightly colored cosmopolitan is the drink of choice for the glamorous TV show characters. James Bond orders his

famous martini shaken, not stirred. And what wedding concludes without a champagne toast? Alcohol is a part of our

social culture but drinking too much, whether on a single occasion or over time, can have serious consequences.

Alcohol affects different people differently according to genes, environment and even diet.

One in three people will be

involved in an alcohol-related

crash in their lifetime.

What is BAC?

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) is the

amount of alcohol in a person¡¯s body measured

by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume

of blood. BAC can be measured within 30 to 70

minutes after a person has had one drink.

What is BAC affected by?

Fast Facts on Drunk Driving:

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

The number of drinks.

How fast you drink.

Your gender.

Your weight.

Food in your stomach.

Your genetic background and family history.

Your physical health.

? Research shows that alcohol-related crashes

cost the public an estimates $114.3 billion

annually - this includes lost quality of life due

to these crashes.

? An average of 1 alcohol impaired-driving

fatality occurred every 52 minutes in 2013.

? There were 10,076 fatalities in 2013 in crashes

involving a driver with a BAC of .08 or

higher; this was 31% of total traffic fatalities

for the year.

? 68% (6,860) of those, at least 1 driver in the

crash had a BAC of .15 g/dL or higher.

? Georgia is ranked in the Top 10 states with the

most alcohol related accidents.

Although the "standard" drink amounts are helpful for following

health guidelines, they may not reflect customary serving sizes. For

example, a single mixed drink made with 80-proof spirits (whiskey,

gin, rum, vodka, tequila, etc.) can contain 1 to 3 or more standard

drinks, depending on the type of spirits and the recipe.

BAC and YOU

Blood Alcohol

Level (BAC)

Typical and Predictable Effects

.02

?

?

?

?

?

Some Loss of Judgment

Relaxation

Slight Body Warmth

Decline in visual functions

Decline in ability to multi-task

.05

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

Exaggerated Behavior

Impaired judgment

Release of inhibitions

Reduced coordination

Reduced Ability to track moving objects

Difficulty steering

Reduced response to emergencies

.08

?

?

?

?

?

?

Judgment, self-control, reasoning and memory are

impaired

Loss of concentration and coordination

Short-term memory loss

Speed Control

Reduced information processing capability

Impaired perception

.10

?

?

?

Deterioration of reaction time and control

Slurred speech, poor coordination and slowed thinking

Reduced ability to maintain lane position and brake appropriately

.15

?

?

?

Vomiting may occur

Major loss of balance

Substantial impairment in vehicle control, attention to

driving task, and visual and auditory information processing

Safety Tips:

? If you plan on drinking, plan NOT to drive.

? Don¡¯t let friends drive impaired.

Take their keys away.

? Choose a non-drinking friend as your

designated driver.

? Ask ahead of time if you can stay over at a

friend¡¯s house.

? Call a Taxi or get a ride home from a friend

What is the Legal Limit?

? The legal limit of BAC for a

driver is .08.

? Drivers under 21 can be charged

with a BAC as little as .02 or

effectively one drink of alcohol.

Please read this newsletter and sign and date below¡­

________________________________ ______________

Name

Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce

Date

This newsletter is published to provide timely information to readers. Its content is

not intended as advice for individual problems. Editorial material does not imply

endorsement by the owner, publisher, editor or distributors. The reading of this is

equivalent to 10 minutes of employee training for DRUGS DON¡¯T WORK members.

The Drugs Don¡¯t Work Program is a function of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

DRUGS DON¡¯T WORK NEWSLETTER

March 2015

References: ;

Editor: Maggee Kulway, Greater Hall Chamber

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