Driving Under the Influence

Across the nation, drivers that have been drinking are responsible for thousands of traffic deaths and injuries each year. It is a fact that no one can drink and drive safely.

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, which can affect virtually every organ in the body, since it goes directly into the bloodstream. It lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment, leading to unsafe behaviors, and eventually even death.

Alcohol has many side effects including altering your perceptions, dulling your senses, hindering coordination, and blocking memory functions. If you continue to use alcohol heavily you could experience stomach ailments, sexual impotence, heart and central nervous system damage, loss of appetite, and blackouts.

When alcohol accumulates in your bloodstream, your driving errors will increase. Your reaction time slows down drastically, and you find that you are unable to control the car as you did prior to drinking. In addition, it creates a false sense of confidence- so you may not realize that you are out of control.

Drivers whose blood alcohol level is .05% (half the legal limit) are between two and seven times more likely to be involved in a crash than drivers who have no alcohol in their blood. So, even with very little alcohol in your system, there is still a chance that you could endanger your life and the lives of others.

Even though all states and the District of Columbia have 21-year-old minimum drinking laws, many teens still consume alcohol. Adolescents are particularly susceptible to the side effects of alcohol, in addition to the dangers that they face in breaking the law. Remember, if you have a problem with alcohol, the chances are good that your child will develop one also.

The penalties for driving while under the influence are severe. In Pennsylvania, you are considered to be driving while under the influence if your blood alcohol level is .10% or higher for those 21 and older; for those under 21, you are considered to be driving under the influence if your blood alcohol level is .02% or greater. If you are over the age of 21, more than one drink per hour will raise your blood alcohol level over the legal limit. In addition, Pennsylvania's laws do not permit underage drinking drivers to drive with any measurable alcohol in their systems. It is important to remember that it is against the law for anyone under the age of 21 to consume, possess or transport alcohol. A motor vehicle does not have to be involved for you to be cited for underage drinking.

If you have to ask yourself if you have a problem with alcohol, the chances are that you do. Many people use alcohol to escape from their problems, or to change their personalities. They have an inability to control their drinking, a high tolerance level for alcohol, and may suffer problems at work or in school as a result. If your family and friends are concerned about your problem, you should be too.

It is also important to remember that alcoholism is just one of the diseases caused by alcohol. This disease can lead to others, such as cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. Help is available through the Alcoholics Anonymous organization.

Every drug, whether prescription or illegal, negatively affects the person using it. In the event that you are taking prescription drugs, ask your doctor or pharmacist how the drug might affect your sight, coordination, timing and general ability to drive. It is also dangerous to take any drugs with alcohol. For example, one drink of alcohol with one tranquilizer equals the effect of four drinks.