Drinking And Driving

The subject of drinking and driving is very very important as most drivers drink and drive with impunity .
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I covered this subject at length in social and local newspapers.
Alcohol is a pyschoactive substance to most people which is pleasurable and easy to forget that it impairs one's judgement. when taken
However, statistics at police stations and those released by Traffic Safety Council depicts a gloomy picture on drinking and driving To some people, these are just figures or numbers that one needs not worry about, but for the families and friends of those who die as a result of this drinking and driving accidents, each number represents a tragic loss.
To some drinkers , alcohol lowers inhibition , often causing talkativeness and a general feeling of well-being that is both physical and emotional. It is no surprise, they refer to it as a "social fabricator" . ..
Paradoxically, most death are as a result of alcohol related vehicle accidents, with countless others which results in injuries , emotional trauma and jail terms. Even if ones blood alcohol level is not at or above the legal limit, the fact remains that drinking and driving remains a selfish and dangerous gamble
I would like to emphasize that alcohol, drugs and driving do not go together . Driving requires a person's attentiveness and ability to make quick decisions on the road . and to react to changes in the environment and execute certain specific, often difficult maneuvers, behind the wheel. Therefore, drinking alcohol, using drugs or being distracted for any reason, driving becomes dangerous and potentially lethal.
Most drivers you hear them say, " Only young and inexperienced drivers are affected by alcohol!" Or, " What is the harm , I get home safely and no one was hurt!?" The fact that you got home safely, does not mean that you made a right decision.
Alcohol is a depressant, this means normal brain function is delayed, and a person is unable to perform normally. It affects a person's information - processing skills known as cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination , also refered as psychomotor skills.
When alcohol is consumed , many of the skills that require safe driving such as judgement, concentration, comprehension, coordination, visual acuity and reaction time become impaired .it is easy to think that you are driving normally whilst in actual fact you are not.
When you are drunk, you are more likely to take potentially dangerous risks , because you are acting on urges you normally repress.
The amount of alcohol that can make you get drunk. varies from person to person and depends on:-
- Your weight, age , sex and metabolism (the rate at which your body uses the energy)
-The type and amount of alcohol you are drinking
-What you have eaten recently
-Your stress level at the time
Even small amount of alcohol can affect your ability to drive, so the safe advice is to avoid alcohol if you are to drive.
When taken , alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream via small blood. vessels in the walls of the stomach and small intestines. Within minutes of drinking alcohol, it travels from the stomach to the brain, where it quickly produces it's effects , slowing the action of the nerve cells.
Approximately, 20 % of alcohol is absorbed through the stomach . The remaining 80 % is absorbed through the small intestines and is carried by the blood stream to the liver , which eliminates alcohol from the blood through a process called" metabolism" where it is concerted to non- toxic substance. The liver can metabolise a certain amount at a time , leaving the excess circulating through the body. Longer to receive messages from the eye. Processing information will become more difficult. Instructions to the body's muscles are delayed resulting in slower reaction time .
How then can you ensure that you don't drink and drive? You can take note of these points.
- Arrange within your drinking group or friends who is going to be a designated driver. A designated driver is a person who abstain from alcohol on a night out , so he/ she can drive the rest of the group or friends home , safely.
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- If you leave where there is good transport link take advantage of that .
- If you are planning to go home late, make sure you get a couple of taxi numbers .
If you have no option but to drive. Stick to zero alcohol drinks ..
I would like you to take note of these driving slogans and remember them when you are about to drink and drive .
- Allow life to thrive , don't drink and drive
--Better to arrive sober and late than never
-Dont drink and drive arrive alive!!!!!
-Dont drive any faster than your guardian angel can fly
-Drinking and driving is a gamble you can't win
Daimon Phiri
Daimon Phiri is a published author of books and articles on motoring and driving
TEPP DRIVING SCHOOL.
[12/14, 4:07 AM] Tepp Group Of Companies: The subject of DRINKING AND DRIVING I covered it at length in the latest POLICE OUTPOST MAGAZINE.
Read the POLICE OUTPOST MAGAZINE for serial articles from TEPP DRIVING SCHOOL