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You Drink & Drive. You Lose.
By Shauna Brittell, CHES
Community Health Educator
Every 30 minutes someone in America dies in an alcohol-related crash. Nearly 18,000 people are killed each year and more than 250,000 people are injured due to impaired driving. Alcohol-involved traffic crashes result in more than $45 billion in economic costs every year. This Labor Day, August 27 to September 12, law enforcement will be out in full force as a part of the You Drink & Drive. You Lose. national campaign to keep citizens safe from impaired drivers.
In Vermont, a driver over age 21, is legally impaired when he/she has a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .08. However, impairment begins long before one reaches the legal limit. It has been found that someone driving with a BAC of between .05 and .09 is 11 times more likely to be killed in a crash than a driver with no alcohol in his/her system. Studies have confirmed that impaired people at the .08 BAC level show typical signs of impairment and their driving abilities may decrease by as much as 60 percent.
Alcohol, a depressant, impairs a driver’s judgement, vision, and reaction, three of the most critical skills necessary for safe driving. It is important to remember that a person’s judgement can be impaired well below the legal limit. Alcohol effects each individual differently, depending on what food has been consumed, mood, metabolism, level of fatigue, and other factors. A 12oz can of beer, a 5oz glass of wine, and a 1½ oz shot of liquor all contain about the same amount of alcohol.
It is important for everyone to recognize the dangers of the impaired driving. If you are going to drink, make plans ahead of time.
• Designate a driver ahead of time- a designated driver is a non-drinking driver.
• Call a friend or relative, who has not been consuming alcohol, to come and drive you home.
• Make a reservation and spend the night.
• Consume food, sip your drinks, and alternate with non-alcoholic beverages.
• Don’t consume any alcohol if you intend to or need to drive.
Driving after drinking is a choice. Choose to do the right—and safe—thing. Be smart and be safe this Labor Day weekend.
For more information on impaired driving, contact the Vermont Governor’s Highway Safety Program at 1-802-241-5509 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT. For local information on impaired driving, contact North Country Hospital’s Community Health office at 334-3290. |
