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Alcohol
may give you a feeling of well-being: actually it is a depressant,
slowing down the processes in the brain.
It
lessens muscular control and co-ordination and lengthens reaction
time
It
blurs vision and decreases awareness, especially in the dark
It
impairs ability to judge speed and distance, and to deal with the
unexpected
It
impairs your judgment of how fit you are to drive, so that under the
influence of alcohol, you may genuinely believe yourself to be
driving better than you really are
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All
of these affect driving performance. The consequence is a higher
risk of accident.
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Alcohol
in the blood is measured in milligrams (mg) of alcohol per 100
millilitres(ml) of blood. The legal limit is 80mg/100m/
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The
corresponding limit for urine is 107mg/100ml.
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Alcohol
in the breath is measured in micrograms (mg). The legal limit is
35mg/100ml
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Young
and inexperienced drivers or those who drink infrequently, are
impaired well below the legal limit.
REMEMBER
:
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Elimination
of alcohol cannot be speeded up : coffee may keep you awake, and
make you slightly less impaired, but it does not reduce the
alcohol level.
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Self-testing
shortly after drinking is not reliable, it takes time to reach
the maximum blood alcohol level.
ALCOHOLIC
CONTENT OF DIFFERENT DRINKS
Volume
of alcohol Normal
measure
quantity of alcohol
Beer/Cider
- ordinary
4%
˝ pint - 284ml
11ml
- strong
6%
˝ pint - 284ml
17ml
Wine
10%
glass - 125ml
12ml
Port,
sherry, vermouth
20%
glass - 50ml
10ml
Spirits
(whiskey, gin, etc)
40%
glass - 25ml
10ml
In
the 2nd World War between 1939 - 1945, 6,500 South
African were killed - 13, 140 South Africans are killed on our roads
every year! Proportionately, South Africa kills 6 times as many
people as the USA, Britain or Europe per 100 000 k's driven.
There
is no such thing as an accident - you don't get drunk by accident or
drive recklessly by accident.
Drinking
and driving is socially acceptable in South Africa. You have all
been in a car with someone who has been drinking. If you want to
drink, that’s your choice - don't get behind the wheel of a car
when you have been drinking.
You
always think it will not happen to you. It seems you have to
experience it before you learn - buts its usually too late by then.
Facilities
for Quadraplegics and brain damaged people are not good in this
country. Perhaps those who die, are the lucky ones.
When
you have been drinking, you think you can handle it. How would you
feel if you were responsible for killing someone?
Most
of us think we can get away with it. Don't take the chance - its
your life - you only live once.
Phone
a loved on - they would rather receive a phone call saying you have
been drinking than a phone call saying you are dead.
25,000
school leavers were injured in car accidents in 1999. 60% of car
accidents are alcohol related and the majority of people killed on
the roads are aged between 18 and 30.
The
legal consequences of being under the influence of alcohol while
driving are unpleasant to say the least….you will be put in a
cell, perhaps with violent criminals. You will appear in court on
the next working day, and if you cannot make bail, you will stay in
jail until the court date comes up, which could be months.
If
found guilty you could lose your licence, face a heavy fine or even
a prison sentence of up to six years. At the very least, you could
be sentenced to attending alcohol safety school to learn about
drinking responsibly. Your name and conviction could be published in
the papers, and the negative publicity could lose you your job.
Alcohol
is in reality, Ethanol which is a medically registered drug and is
known as a central nervous system depressant.
It
is immediately absorbed into the blood stream
Its
doesn’t need to be digested
It
reaches the brain within minutes
It
is fully absorbed in 15 minutes.
One
of the side effects of alcohol on the brain, is the suppression or
depression of the normal inhibitory, or control mechanism. It gives
you a feeling of well being, and makes you feel capable of handling
any situation, or machinery, even a motor car. It gives you a
tremendous feeling of self-confidence, which is why we drink it. We
no longer feel shy, and unable to cope in the group. You can dance
in an uninhibited way and you think you look good. You tell jokes
and think they are funny. You feel beautiful and smart.
However,
another side effect is the suppression of muscle co-ordination and
motor reflex. You no longer have feelings of caution, you don't
worry about safety, and you have no self-control. You feel great,
reckless, aggressive and careless.
Your
reaction time after three drinks is impaired by 2 - 4 times. You
experience tunnel vision, which means you do not notice things on
the left or right. You have an inability to focus quickly. This
means that the pupils of your eyes react very slowly to sudden
changes of light, so that you are blinded by oncoming headlights.
Night blindness is definitely increased. It is quite obvious that
with these physical changes to the body, driving a car is very
unwise. Apart from the fact that it is a criminal offence.
Drinking
and driving…. Alcohol impairs you ability to deal with more than
one thing at a time. When driving, you have to deal with four or
five things at a time. So don't drink and drive.
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