Christmas Drink Driving Facts

Know the Facts Interactions between alcohol and other substances in the body such as certain medications or illegal drugs increase impairment and make driving more risky. Alcohol is a substance that reduces the function of the brain, impairing thinking, reasoning and muscle coordination. All these abilities are essential to operating a vehicle safely. As alcohol levels rise in a person’s system, the negative effects on the central nervous system increase, too. Alcohol is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach and small intestine. Then it passes into the bloodstream where it accumulates until it is metabolized by the liver. Alcohol level is measured by the weight of the alcohol in a certain volume of blood.

This is called Blood Alcohol Concentration, or BAC. At a BAC of.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood (g/dL), crash risk increases exponentially. Because of this risk, it’s illegal in all 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to drive with a BAC of.08 or higher.

Police officers across Warwickshire will be stepping up efforts to prevent drink driving this Christmas. RoSPA response to Christmas Drink-Driving and Drug. Drivers chose to put themselves and others at risk by drink or drug driving over the Christmas.

However, even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability. In 2016, there were 2,017 people killed in alcohol-related crashes where drivers had lower alcohol levels (BACs of.01 to.07 g/dL). BAC is measured with a breathalyzer, a device that measures the amount of alcohol in a driver’s breath, or by a blood test.

Driving After Drinking Driving after drinking is deadly. Yet it still continues to happen across the United States. If you drive while impaired, you could get arrested, or worse—be involved in a traffic crash that causes serious injury or death.

Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of.08 of higher). In 2016, there were 10,497 people killed in these preventable crashes. In fact, on average over the 10-year period from 2006-2016, more than 10,000 people died every year in drunk-driving crashes. How To Install Fallout 3 Dlc On Usb. In every State, it’s illegal to drive with a BAC of.08 or higher, yet one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 50 minutes in the United States in 2016. Men are more likely than women to be driving drunk in fatal crashes. In 2016, 21 percent of males were drunk in these crashes, compared to 14 percent for females. Take steps to prevent drunk driving: • If you will be drinking, plan on not driving.

Plan your safe ride home before you start the party. Designate a sober driver ahead of time. • If you drink, do not drive for any reason. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member, use public transportation, etc. Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app which helps you identify your location and call a taxi or friend to pick you up.

• If someone you know has been drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel. Take their keys and help them arrange a sober ride home. • If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement. Your actions could help save someone’s life.

Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, and about a quarter of those crashes involve an underage drinking driver. In 2016, young drivers, 16-24 years old, made up 39 percent of drivers involved in fatal alcohol-impaired crashes. To reduce alcohol-related fatal crashes among youth, all States have adopted a minimum legal drinking age of 21. NHTSA estimates that minimum-drinking-age laws have saved 31,417 lives between 1975 and 2016.

Young adults 25-34 make up another 29 percent of fatal alcohol-impaired-driving crashes. Men are most likely to be involved in this type of crash, with 4 male alcohol-impaired drivers for every female impaired driver. In 2016, there were 4,950 motorcycle riders killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes. Of those, 1,259 (25%) were alcohol-impaired (BACs of.08 or higher).

In addition, there were 335 fatally injured motorcycle riders who had lower alcohol levels (BACs of.01 to.07 g/dL). Motorcycle riders have the highest overall rate of alcohol impairment in fatal crashes.

In 2016, 25 percent of the motorcycle riders killed were riding impaired. In 2016, the highest percentages of fatally injured, alcohol-impaired motorcycle riders were in the 35-to-39 age group (38%), followed by the 45-to-49 age group (37%), and the 40-to-44 age group (32%). Repeat offenders who drink and drive are a very real, very deadly problem. Drivers with BACs of.08 g/dL or higher involved in fatal crashes were 4.5 times more likely to have prior convictions for driving while impaired (DWI) than were drivers with no alcohol (9% and 2%, respectively). When it comes to drunk driving, it affects more than just the driver. In 2016, approximately 1 in 6 children (14 and younger) died in drunk-driving crashes. Fifty-four percent of the time, it was the child’s own driver who was drunk. Ultramixer 2 Serial Number.

In addition to the human toll drunk driving takes on our country, the financial impact is devastating: based on 2010 numbers (the most recent year for which cost data is available), impaired-driving crashes costs the United States $44 billion annually. Driving a vehicle while impaired is a dangerous crime. Tough enforcement of drunk-driving laws has been a major factor in reducing alcohol-impaired-driving deaths since the 1980s.

Charges range from misdemeanors to felony offenses, and penalties for impaired driving can include driver’s license revocation, fines, and jail time. It’s also extremely expensive. A first-time offense can cost the driver upwards of $10,000 in fines and legal fees. Some States require offenders to install ignition interlock devices at the driver’s own expense. An ignition interlock device is a breath test device connected to a vehicle’s ignition.

The vehicle will not start unless the driver blows into the interlock and has a BAC below a pre-set low limit, usually.02 g/dL. NHTSA strongly supports the expansion of ignition interlocks as a proven technology that keeps drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel. BEING A RESPONSIBLE DRIVER IS SIMPLE—IF YOU ARE DRINKING, DO NOT DRIVE. • Before drinking, choose a non-drinking friend as a designated driver. • Don’t let your friends drive impaired. • If you have been drinking, call a taxi or ride service.

Download NHTSA's SaferRide app to help you call a friend or family member, pinpoint your location, and arrange to be picked up. • If you’re hosting a party where alcohol will be served, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver. • Always wear your seat belt—it’s your best defense against impaired drivers.