As a driver you have a responsibility to obey the law to keep yourself and other users of the HTS safe. Failure to meet these responsibilities can mean fines, jail time, or even death of yourself or other HTS users.
- As you become a new driver, your responsibilities grow to include:
1. Personal Responsibility – imposed by customs, parents, peers and personal values
Self-preservation
vehicle preservation
passengers’ trust - 2. Licensing and Preparation – imposed by government
Vehicle operational skill
provincial rules and regulations
willingness to operate within guidelines
vehicle preparedness and maintenance - 3. Financial Responsibility – imposed by government and insurance
ability to financially pay back any mistakes that you make that cause property damage, injury or death
ability to provide a monetary pool to share costs - 4. Tort Liability – imposed by the courts and legal system
Roadway property
Other user personal injury or death
Personal property of other users
personal property and well-being of other users - Operating a vehicle carries great freedom, as well as great responsibility. Poor choices while driving lead to uninvited, serious and long-term consequences.
Driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs is the number one killer of young people.
Consequences of Drinking and Driving. - Personal Consequences
You will be unable to drive
Embarrassing to tell others you are a convicted criminal
You may not be able to travel to other countries
Future employers will perceive you as a criminal - Financial Consequences
Lawyer’s fees, fines
Vehicle seizure
Alcohol/drug assessment
license reinstatement
trial fees
insurance premiums go up
If someone was hurt, potentially all your income could go to the family of the deceased.Never risk more than you can afford to lose. When you look at all you could lose, the risk of driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol is not only irresponsible, it is incredibly foolish!
Just say no. - Alcohol Related Crashes
Alcohol is a major factor in nearly half of all fatal collisions, including both pedestrians and drivers.
The leading cause of death for those aged 16-21 is motor vehicle crashes.
Statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving from 2010 note that there are 3.4– 4.1 deaths per day caused by impaired driving.
Percent of BAC Age Increased Risk of Death Age Increased Risk of Death .012 to .049 20 None 15 to 19 2.5 times .05 to .079 20 2 times 15 to 19 9 times .08 to 0.99 20 7 times 15 to 19 7 times .10 to .149 20 13 times 15 to 19 40 times .15 and over 20 110 times 15 to 19 420 times - Physiological Factors
As a Drug
Alcohol is a drug. It is the result of the process of fermentation of grapes, grains, other fruits etc
Unlike food, alcohol is absorbed directly in to the blood stream, and especially into areas that have a larger amount of bodily fluids, like the brain.
Once it has been drunk and absorbed, the liver must process the alcohol at its own steady rate. This process cannot be sped up.
Time is the only remedy for inebriation - Stages of Alcohol Influence
All the negative influences of alcohol start with the first drink.
It is NEVER safe to drink and drive. - Blood Alcohol Level
The amount of alcohol present in your bloodstream, most often tested with a breathalyzer
Your BAC is affected by:
your weight
your sex
what you drink
If/what you eat before and while drinking
how many drinks you consume
how much time has passed during/since drinking - Blood Alcohol Calculator
http://www.progressive.com/vehicle-resources/blood-alcohol-calculator/
A BAC of .03 to .05 is commonly accepted as impairment.
Any drivers caught with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 per cent to 0.08 per cent during roadside tests will lose their licences for seven days.
By .08 in Canada (any discernible amount for novice drivers), the driver is driving under the influence and can be charged under the Criminal Code of Canada.
- Effects of Alcohol on Reaction Time
Slower to understand (or misunderstand)
Slower to decide on a course of action (or decide to do the wrong thing)
Slower to react - Collision Potential
If your BAC exceeds .08 you are 7.5x more likely to get in a collision than without alcohol
At .15, you are 25x more likely to get in a collision
What is an acceptable risk of injury or death due to drinking and driving? NONE. Just say “No, I am driving” - Synergistic Effect
Mixing alcohol and drugs is a dangerous thing to do.
As you process both alcohol and drugs simultaneously, your body focuses on processing alcohol first.
Thus, the effect of the non-alcoholic substance is amplified, and can have dangerous, and possibly deadly, unexpected effects. - Effects of Long-Term Alcohol Use Are:
Organ damage including cirrhosis of the liver which leads to internal bleeding, liver failure, and death
Brain damaged to the point that an individual cannot function normally in society
Causing eye muscles to relax and creating “double-vision”
Lack of ability for eyes to react to stimulus, including changes in field of view.On Alcohol, a person’s eyes have:
a tendency to stare straight ahead
a narrowing of the field of vision
a reduction in depth perception
a reduction of adaptability to darkness
a longer time to readjust after glareOn Alcohol, a person’s brain has:
a reduced awareness of danger
Over-confidence
difficulty recognizing potential hazards
difficulty making decisions
a reduction in balance (equilibrium) - Psychological Factors
Factors Influencing Drinking
Peer Pressure: Drinking alcohol because others are.
Influence of Parents: If parents abuse alcohol, this may influence kids to do the same.
Social Acceptance: It’s seen as normal for people to drink alcohol.
Anxiety/Frustration: People see it as a way of coping.
Perception that consuming alcohol is always a good time.
Psychological EffectsCauses attention to be divided, and the ability to focus to be lost
The brain is less capable of storing and retaining information in memory
Emotional control is lost as more alcohol is consumed
The level of aggression increases, which is especially dangerous if someone is driving.
As a person drinks more often, a tolerance for alcohol is inevitable. Signs of drunkenness are lessened, though BAC is just as high - Other Drugs
All drugs have an affect on the human brain, and therefore on our ability to drive.
There are a number of kinds of drugs and we will touch on a few.Over the Counter Drugs (OTC)
Any drugs bought from a pharmacy/drug store that do NOT require a prescription
Can cause drowsiness, dizziness, slower reaction times, reduced coordination and other side effects
Safe to take before driving, as long as instructions on the bottle are followed. - Prescription Drugs
Any drug that requires a doctor to order and sign for you
Can have higher dosages of active ingredients than OTC drugs
Controlled by law, records are kept their use
Ask your doctor what potential side effects exist, especially those related to driving. - Depressant Drugs
Prescribed to relieve tension, to calm nerves, as well as treat high blood pressure.
Cause driver to become more relaxed, lose inhibitions, and have poorer judgment
Barbiturates, tranquilizers and sleeping pills are all depressant drugs
Particularly dangerous when consumed with alcohol due to synergistic effect
Cold/cough/allergy medicine combined with alcohol causes disruption of physical, intellectual, and perceptual functions - Antidepressant Drugs
impair vigilance, increases reaction time drastically
divided attention for multi-tasks (such as driving) is very limited - Stimulants
Often used to stay awake on long drives, stimulants give a person a burst of energy, followed by a sudden drop as the stimulant effect wears off.
Caffeine and nicotine are common stimulants. Caffeine does not sober a person up. Only time will
Amphetamines can results in overly-risky behaviour, hostility and aggressiveness for drivers behind the wheel.Cocaine affects the users perception, mood and thinking. Blurred vision, glare problems and hallucinations (including false sounds and smells) are also experienced
Cocaine makes the user feel very mentally and physically aware, for a short period of time, which turns in to suspicion, distrust and paranoia.
Hallucinogens
Mind-altering drugs can alter personality, cause panic or terror and alter the way a person acts, sees and thinks.