Drinking and Driving

Video Discussion

•What were some of your thoughts as you watched the video about these real drinking and driving accidents?

The Accidents

• Wreck with boys:

Boy in the front seat had his seat belt on. He suffered injuries, but he lived. Sean was thrown from the car and died; the other boy was thrown from the car and is a paraplegic (paralyzed).

The Accidents• Wreck with girl driver:

• She was in a coma for three months.• She had seven major organs injured.• Her memory for previous five years was erased. (She

thought she was still in high school.)• She did not remember the college friend that was

killed in the wreck• Her learning ability is at an 8th grade level.• Her speech and walking were affected.• One passenger was killed.

Video Discussion

• What were the consequences for the male driver?• 2 counts of Second Degree Manslaughter = 10

years in prison, suspended after 4 years• 5 years probation• DWI charge: lost license for 9 years• Charged with speeding and reckless driving• 1,000 hours of community service• Made to attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)• Random drug testing

0 Tolerance

• Felony Conviction: jail time is guaranteed if someone dies in a drinking and driving accident no matter what the age of the driver.

• How long did he get away with drinking and driving?

3 Years!

Drivers who have been drinking:

•Feel more confident of self and driving skills

•Feel more aware and feel reflexes are better

•May drive faster than normal

Video Discussion

• The boys were less than two miles from home.

• The male driver was speeding. In a 25 mph speed limit, he admitted driving 75-80 mph.

• The female driver was going 50-60 mph in a 35 mph zone.

2010 Statistics

• Car accidents are the leading cause of death for American teenagers.

• Approximately one-third to one-half of those accidents are alcohol-related.

• Over 2,000 young people die every year in alcohol-related car crashes.

• 18% of the drivers involved in fatal alcohol-related accidents were 16 – 20 year olds.

• 24 – 28 year olds accounted for 34% (the highest percentage), of drivers involved in fatal alcohol-related accidents.

2010 Statistics

• 30% of the young drivers (15 to 20 years old) who were killed in crashes had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 or higher.

• 25% of those young drivers had an .08 BAC.

StatisticsSince 2001, there has been a decrease in deaths

for alcohol-related car accidents.

2001 - 17,448

2008 - 11,071

2009 - 10,759

2010 - 10,228

The cumulative estimated number of lives saved by Minimum Drinking Age Laws: 28,230 lives since 1975.

Drinking and Driving Statistics

• Alcohol-related car accidents account for 32% of the deaths in car crashes.

• Every day, 32 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.

• In 2010, one person was killed every 51 minutes in a alcohol-related car accident.

Young Drivers Fatally Injured

by Age and Percent

With BAC = .01 or Higher, 2010Age Number of Drivers Percent with BAC

over .01

15 48 15%

16 172 15%

17 283 21%

18 480 26%

19 495 36%

20 485 40%

http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811622.pdf

Total young drivers killed = 1,025 in 2010.

Drugged Driving

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more than10,000 people are killed annually due to drunk and drugged driving.

• NHTSA estimates that drugs are used by approximately 10% to 22% of drivers involved in crashes, often in combination with alcohol.

Drugged Driving

• According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated

10.5 million people over the age of 12 reported driving under the influence of an illicit drug during the year prior to being surveyed.

Source: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/drugged-driving

•Vision: Alcohol relaxes eye muscles, which make it harder to focus and see clearly. Blurred vision is often a result of drinking alcohol.

•Reaction Time: Drinking alcohol slows down reaction time.

How would that affect a person’s driving ability?

Alcohol Effects

•Coordination: Drinking alcohol affects a person’s ability to do motor skills, such as catching a ball or walking in a straight line.

Is coordination required

to drive a car safely?

Alcohol Effects

• Low level – less than .06 BAL

• Moderate level – .07 - .10 BAL

• High – over .17 – .20 BAL

• Extreme – over .25 BAL

• Double Vision – over .20 BAL and some other drugs

Goggle Activities

• Did you make adjustments/changes when you drove with the goggles on?

Drove slower

Goggle Activities

• What is the difference between driving the golf cart and a car?• We were driving it much more slowly than we would

drive a car.• You could look over the edge to see the cones and

avoid them.• Some drivers stopped completely during the obstacle

course.• There were no oncoming traffic / ditches to avoid.

Goggle Activities

• You drove the with the Low Level goggles on.

How many drinks would that be for you?

http://www.intox.com/wheel/drinkwheel.asp

Goggle Activities

• Is a person’s driving ability affected at blood alcohol levels below .08 (the legal limit for DWI)?

• Is there a “safe” amount that a person can drink and drive?

Here’s the BIG QUESTION . . .