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Home My WebLink AboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1987-12-16, Page 31Education Alcohol d driving d�n't The Addiction Research Foundation (ARF) continues to urge people not to drink and drive. If you do drink and it is necessary to drive, always limit yourself to less than one stan- dard drink per hour. That is how long it takes the average male's body (liver primarily) to get rid of the alcohol in the drink. However, don't assume you are average. Your capacity for drinking may be significantly lower than what is noted above for the average male. This IS especially true if you are a women of slight build, or if you are taking other drugs. Never take a drink for the road. Allow enough time to let the effects of the last drink wear off - that is, consume less than one standard drink per hour and allow at least one hour between the last standard drink and driving. SOBERING UP QUICKLY Trying to sober up quickly with coffee or fresh air simply will not work. They will not change the rate of alcohol oxidation by the liver which is the 95 per cent of the alcohol leaves a person's system (breath, urine and sweat account for the other five per cent). Coffee only turns a drowsy drunk into a wide-awake drunk who may dangerously think he or she is capable of driving. Remember, time is the only safe way to sober up. ALCOHOL TOLERANCE Why do people continue to drive after they have had too much to drink? Some people appear to have a, high tolerance to the ef- fects of alcohol. But, in many cases, they have only acquired ,the capacity of not ap- pearing drunk. Although a person may appear to walk and talk normally, other less observable and more complex behaviours can be im- paired - for example, the skills and rapid decision-making abilities needed to drive a car safely. Also, as you drink more, it becomes more difficult for you to notice that you are becoming impaired. The reason is that the brain becomes impaired by alcohol and, therefore, is less able to alert you to the signs of intoxication. For this reason, your friends may notice you are becoming im- paired before you do. ALCOHOL MAY IMPAIR VISION Sudden changes in light conditions may provoke temporary blindness because alcohol slows the reflex mechanism regulating the amount of light that enters the eyes. In others words, alcohol can reduce the ability of your eyes to recover from the sudden glare of headlights. This impairment can be significant when you are driving at night. OTHER DRUGS AND ALCOHOL Taking alcohol at the same time as an- tihistamines . (e.g. in cold, cough, and allergy remedies), marijuana, tran- quillizers, or "sleeping pills" can intensify the effects of these drugs, and of the alcohe to a potentially dangerous degree. The use of the alcohol alone, or in com- bination with any of the above drugs, im- pairs your ability to drive an automobile or snowmobile, operate machinery, ski, and perform other similar activities. If in doubt about the effect of combining alcohol with another drug, consult with your doctor or pharmacist. ALCOHOL AFFECTS YOU MOOD Alcohol can provoke an initial exhilara- tion, but it can later exaggerate negative feelings, that were there before drinking such as depression, nervousness, anxiety, loneliness, and fear of failure and rejection. This can be an unpleasant surprise for people who drink alcohol as a pick-me-up when they feel down because it can leave them feeling even more depressed than before they began to drink. And, having another drink to keep up the initial exhilara- tion only means increasing the degree of this depression later. THE LAW In Ontario: 1. It is an offence under the Federal Criminal Code to drive with a BAL of over .08 per cent (80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood) . This is a serious offence and, if convicted, a person will have a criminal record for life. 2. Under the Highway Traffic Act of On- tario, a police officer may suspend a per- son's driver's licence for 12 hours if the per- son registers .05 per cent (50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliltres of blood) or more on a breath -testing device. In addition, you may be charged With operating a motor vehicle while your ability to drive is impaired. This charge can be laid regardless of your blood alcohol level (BAL). Unless you have lawful excuse, you can also be charged for refusing to provide a breath sample after an officer has lawfully demanded one. Almost 26,000 mandatory licence suspen- sions were issued in 1986 as a result of im- paired driving or driving with a BAL of over .08 per cent. Such suspensions carry a minimum of one year fora first conviction. LEGAL IMPAIRMENT To reach the .05 per cent BAL, the average male needs only to consume about two and a half standard drinks in the first hour of drinking. For the average female, it will take about 1.5 standard drinks in one hour to reach .05 per cent BAL. It is impor- tant to note that it takes less alcohol to raise the BAL of the average women to the critical level. The BAL in a particular person depends on the percentage of the body that is made up of water which dilutes the alcohol. This, in turn, depends on the person's weight and build. However, there are a large number of factors, including the amount of food in the stomach, that make it impossible to predict exactly what a person's BAL will be after consuming a certain number of drinks in a given time. ALCOHOL AND INSURANCE Insurance premiums increase by 50 per cent automatically in Ontario following a first conviction for any federal drinking and driving offence. In addition, insurance com- panies are not legally obligated to pay the collision damages on your car. A second conviction results in a further 100 per cent increase in premiums. STATISTICS Most Ontario drivers are aware of the con- sequences of drinking and driving. This seems to be especially true during the Christmas season. There were 75 fatal motor vehicle accidents in December 1986, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. (December 1985: 73; December 1984: 80). In 1986, just under half the drivers killed in the province had been drinking and not necessarily at a BAL of .08 per cent. In 1986, about three-quarters (72.4 per cent) of drivers killed in crashes, between 1 and 2 a.m., had either been drinking or were legally impaired. Ninety-one per cent of drivers in fatal single vehicle accidents bet- ween 1 and 2 a.m. had been drinking or were legally impaired. HANGOVERS A hangover is the body's reaction to too much alcohol. In part, it is related to alcohol poisoning and, in part, it is the body's response to withdrawal from alcohol. Drinking heavily over a short period of time often results in headache, over sen- sitivity to bright lights or loud noises, shakiness, nausea, or possibly vomiting. Drinking fluids such as orange juice will help alleviate the effects of dehydration. However, time is the only cure for alcohol impairment, including a hangover. Other "magic" cures really don't work — at best they may result in a more positive state of mind that makes a person more able to ig- nore the effects of alcohol impairment or a hangover. YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THE GREAT BUYS IN THE CLASSIFIEDS 524-2614 GODERICH SIGNAL•STAR, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1987—PAGE 7A SANTA IS COMING to Donuts & More Saturday, December 19 free candy canes & balloons for the kids! *Our Donuts are ON SALE! 1 Dozen Donuts Reg. s.i.25 2 9 5 NOW IR A Refreshing Br'eak... donuts &more 7 Days a Week -5.30 am - Midnight 303 HURON RD., e GODERICH 524-52/7 7 Unfortunately, in -the -home hazards increase during the Festive season. In seconds, a tree may become a torch, and in minutes a home may be destroyed. Take a few minutes to look over these Fire Safety tips. This ad might help save a life. YOUR TREE SHOULD BE FRESH. A dry tree readily sheds Its needles. KEEP THE TREE STANDING IN WATER AFTER UTTING AT LEAST ONE INCH FROM THE BUTT. CHECK YOUR TREE LIGHTS FOR FRAYED CORDS OR SHORT CIRCUITS. 7-CONNECT DIS THE LIGHTS Before leaving home or before going to bed. FEEL DOORS FOR NEAT Fool the doors as high as you can reach. If Its warm, use an alternate escape route. MAKE SURE SMOKE DETECTORS ARE IN WORKING ORDER. ® The first person who detects a fire should yell fire to alert others to get out. You should hove at least two known routes to escape fire. LOW SAFETY ZONE Smoke & Heat rise Stay as low to the ground as you can. FLASHLIGHTS If you have flashlights use them to help find your way out at night. HAVE AN OUTDOOR MEETING PLACE Choose a place outdoors for everyone to meet for roll call and don't go (sock inside for anything until fire Is completely est. On behalf of the Goderich Fire Department Chief Jack Meriam wishes one and all a This message sponsored in the public interest by the GODERICH FIRE DEPARTMENT 1