Your  SAFETY  is  Driving

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Low - Risk Driving  a skill for LIFE

 - - - - - - - - - Road Safety by Dieter Fischer - - - - - - - -

ISBN No. 0 09577 426 06   

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C.23  Drinking and driving - PLAYING WITH DEATH

Imagine on a very hot, windy day in the middle of summer and someone decides to build a fire in a forest. How foolish, you agree? It is just as stupid to drive after you had too much to drink. As a matter of fact, the forest does re-grow. A victim in a wheelchair may be for life!

 

How does alcohol affect a driver? Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Vital functions to perform these ordinary tasks are affected:

One drink - one crash too many!

Co-ordination - slow to brake or steer.
Judgement - fails to give way,  side-swipes objects or hits kerb.
Reaction - drives through red lights, late braking in an emergency. 
Vision - blurred vision causes confusion and crashes.

Apart from these handicaps some drinkers display a false sense of bravado and get overconfident. Many fool themselves, believing that drinking black coffee, eating greasy foods, taking cold showers or fresh air, is going to fix the problem. 

Nothing can speed up the process of sobering. Time is the only factor that reduces the level of alcohol in the blood to render a person fit to drive. Chewing gum or peppermints cannot beat the breathalyser.

 

Think before you drink...!

Damage to public property must be paid for by the driver at fault. Insurances normally don't cover a driver, which drives intoxicated.

How will you get home from the party?
Is public transport available?
Can you get a lift with someone (sober!)
Will you get a cab or get picked up?
One business man thought he was doing the right thing when he asked his wife to drive home after entertaining overseas visitors in a restaurant. Tragically, she lost control of the car on a bend, because she also had had a few drinks.

Ladies get affected much quicker than men and can tolerate less. Likewise, small people get intoxicated quicker and affected more. Before consuming any alcoholic drink a responsible driver knows, how much alcohol is his or her limit. Play it safe, if unsure! Drink less or better ZERO. Insurance companies may exclude liability, if the driver is found to be over the limit. It can be a very costly mistake.

On a full licence the BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) in many countries is now .05 o/oo. Two glasses of beer in an hour can bring you to that limit. One drink every hours after that, will keep you on the brink. (Check the laws in your country as they apply to new drivers).

Drugs also can affect your driving. Alcohol and drugs combined may form a very lethal dose to make a driver unfit to get behind a wheel of a motor car. Check with your doctor and read the label on your medications.

 

ONE DRINK affects your driving. TWO DRINKS can push you to the limit

One nights foolishness has ended great dreams of many bright, talented young people. Don’t risk it, don't ruin your's and other people’s future.

Be a responsible driver.       Don't give in to BEER pressure

Disclaimer: Above information could vary in your part of the world. We take no responsibility for any accidents or failed driving tests, even if the advise in this book has been followed. We recommend you use above information in conjunction with a professional driving instructor. Site copyright ©driving-school.com.au  2001 / Reviewed June 2010

Here is a little test to remember what you have learned. Firstly, answer the True / False question. Secondly, using the letter beside the correct answer, form a word. All answers are on this page!

  T>   K

Even after one drink a driver's judgement and reaction are affected.   F>    D
  T>   E It is best to think about transport before a party, if you decide to drink.   F>    S
  T>   W Woman can drink a little more than men before reaching the legal limit.   F>    E
  T>   I Eating greasy foods and drinking lots of water gives a lower alcohol reading.   F>    P

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