Alcohol & Driving By: Abbi & SophiA
According to the 2010 CDC survey, adults drank to much and got behind the wheel 112million times. Everyday 28 people die in drunk driving crashes, which is one every 52 minutes. 16% of all fatal crashes are drunk driving during the week. 31% are drunk driving on the weekend.
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Missouri
In Missouri for the year of 2011 30% of all traffic fatalities in Missouri involved an impaired driver, 218 people were killed and 867 were seriously injured.
Alcohol: what is it ?
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The active ingredient in alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol, also known as ethanol. It is a depressant. It slows down the function of all living cells, especially those in the brain.
Alcohol: what does it affect ?
Alcohol affects the brain. The brain is the most sensitive organ to alcohol. The brain controls safe driving skills.
The lie of alcohol:
As a drinking person's skills are being impaired, the drinker usually feels these skills are sharper and quicker than normal.
JUDGEMENT
The ability to make sound and responsible decisions.
CONCENTRATION
The ability to shift attention from one point of action to another.
COMPREHENSION
The ability to understand situations, signs, and signals.
COORDINATION
The ability to coordinate motor skills.
VISION / HEARING ACUITY
The ability to see and hear clearly
REACTION TIME
The ability to see and understand a situation, then take an action.
Alcohol: What is a drink ?
The concentration of hard liquor is measured in proof to determine the concentration, divide the proof by two.
Blood Alcohol Concentration
- A BAC of 0.10% is equal to one-tenth of one percent of a person's blood is alcohol.
- BAC is measured by breath, blood or urine test.
- If you refuse to submit to a chemical test to determine your BAC, your driver license will be taken away for one year.
Alcohol: Absorption
As alcohol enters the body, it passes from the mouth, down the esophagus, into the stomach and on to the small intestine.
Absorption Rate Factors
- Food
- Carbonated
- Note
Alcohol: Distribution
Absorbed alcohol is rapidly carried throughout the body in the blood with approximately the same concentration. The concentration may vary in different organs, including the brain.
Distribution Factors
- Body Fat
- Body weight
- Body type
- These three factors all contribute to typical differences between males and females.
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Alcohol: Elimination
The liver is responsible for the elimination of alcohol. The liver estimates 95% of ingested alcohol from the body through oxidation. On Average, a person will eliminate 0.5 ounces of alcohol (nearly one standard drink) per hour.
Elimination Factors
- Rate of consumption (amount + Time)
- Metabolic Tolerance
- Functional Tolerance
Other factors related to Impairment
- Expectations
- Medications / Other Drugs
- Fatigue
- Mood
- Tiredness
- Illness
Alcohol and the Brain
The first portion of the brain to be affected is the cerebrum which is responsible for controlling the senses, speech, understanding, and judgement. Drinkers often feel the manual skills have been improved due to an impairment in judgement, when in reality their reaction times are slowed and their muscle coordination is less efficient. If a person continues to drink, the body protects it self from farther damage by falling asleep or passing out.
The Developing Brain
The adolescent brain is designed to learn However, the characteristics that lend it to acquire information, adapt, and learn, also render it more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol on the brain. Alcohol damages neurons and alters developing parts of the adolescent brain still forming.
Abuse vs. Addiction
Abuse
- Minors
- Drink to get drunk
- To be social / All plans revolve around it.
- Black outs / DWI / risky behaviors
- Parental roles / employment
Addiction
- Drinking larger amounts over a longer time than intended
- Spending a considerable time to get, use, and recover from alcohol
- Increased tolerance to the effects of alcohol
The irrefutable law of Alcohol(drugs)
If you put it in your body it will have an effect.
Having a BAC of 0.02-0.03%
Having a BAC of 0.04-0.06%
Having a BAC of 0.07-0.09%