Driver Education

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Driver Education

• Chapter 6
• Drinking, Drugs, and Health

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Effects of alcohol

• Driving under the influence of intoxicating
  beverages means that a drivers senses and
  judgment are impaired by alcohol.
• After two, 2-4 drinks, alcohol begins to impair
  reaction time, coordination and balance. Vision
  and the ability to judge distance are affected,
  making it more difficult to react and to drive
  safely.
• The only thing that can make a person sober is
  time.
• In addition, studies have proven conclusively
  that a combination of alcohol and anger is
  responsible for much of the reckless, aggressive
  driving that can cause fatal highway accidents.

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How much is too much?

• BACBlood Alcohol Concentration
• BAC is determined by four factors
• Quantity of alcohol consumed
• Body weight
• How quickly drinks were consumed
• Food eaten
• The best way to reduce the risk of a crash caused
  by drinking and driving is not to drive at all
  after drinking.

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BAC

• Legal limits
• For a person 21 yrs of age or older
• .08
• For a person under 21 yrs of age
• .01
• Possibility of causing an accident
• .05 doubled
• .10 6 times greater
• .25 25 times greater

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Implied Consent Law

• Under state law, refusal to take a breath test is
  equal to driving with a BAC of .08 percent for a
  first offense. The current penalty for both is
  the loss of driving privileges for seven months
  to one year, to run concurrently or
  consecutively, based upon a judges order
  (N.J.S.A. 394-50.4a). Motorists who refuse to
  take a breath test in New Jersey are also subject
  to an MVC insurance surcharge of 1,000 per year
  for three years (N.J.S.A. 1729A-35). Failure to
  pay this surcharge will result in an indefinite
  suspension of driving privileges until the fee is
  paid.

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Drinking and Driving

• Tell tale signs that a motorist has been
  drinking
• Speeding
• Weaving
• Slow driving
• Jerking motion
• Quick stops

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Be a good host

• Hosts may become involved in a lawsuit if a guest
  is involved in a drinking and driving collision
  after leaving the party.

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Drugs and driving

• It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle on New
  Jersey roadways under the influence of any
  illegal drugs.
• The labels on bottles of prescription drugs will
  describe common side effects.
• Drugs that may cause drowsiness or dizziness
  should not be taken before driving.

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Drugs and Driving

• After alcohol, marijuana is the drug most often
  found with drivers involved in collisions.
  Marijuana use may affect a motorist in the
  following ways
• Loss of tracking ability
• Distance judgment
• Vigilance
• Divided attention