83
graders reported having ridden during the past month with a
driver who had used alcohol or other drugs before taking the
wheel.
Crash records indicate that young drivers under the influence
of small amounts of alcohol appear to have more driving
problems than older drivers. Most teenagers are intoxicated at
low BAC levels. The young driver’s chance of a crash is much
greater with BAC between .01-.08 percent than older drivers.
This is due to low tolerance of alcohol and limited driving
experience.
THE DECISION IS YOURS. BE RESPONSIBLE AND
SMART—HELP YOURSELF AND YOUR FRIENDS!
Under 21 Laws
In addition to the standard penalties for driving under the
influence of drugs or alcohol discussed previously, there are
three special laws that apply to people under the age of 21:
•
18-20 Alcohol Violations: If you are 18, 19 or 20 years
old and are convicted of purchasing, attempting to
purchase, or possessing any alcoholic beverage, you
will lose your privilege to drive for one year. If it happens
a second time you will lose your license for two years.
The law applies to any alcohol-related conviction, whether
or not you were driving or even in a vehicle.
•
Juvenile Offenders: If you are between the ages of 13
and 17 and are found to have possessed, consumed or sold
either alcohol or drugs, your driving privilege will be
suspended for one year or until age 17, whichever is
longer. Even if you have never been licensed, you could
lose your privilege to drive until you reach age 17. If you
have a second conviction, the suspension is for two years
or until age 18, whichever is longer.
•
Under 21 BAC: A person who is at least 16, but is not
yet 21 years old, and who is found: (1) driving with a
BAC of .02 percent; (2) under the influence of alcohol; or
(3) under the influence of any other intoxicant, will be
convicted of underage driving while impaired. Penalties
for this conviction are: losing your license for one year, a
fine of $250 and sometimes, includes public service work.
The best advice, of course, is simply to not drink when you
know you are going to drive. One of the most
successful programs in recent years has
been the designated driver concept,
where friends agree ahead of time
which person will remain strictly
sober. Many night clubs offer the
designated driver free non-alcoholic
beverages for the evening. Young
people, who do not want to drink in the
first place, are finding it more socially
acceptable to offer to be the designated driver.
Avoiding the Risks
Alcohol-related crashes are not accidents. They can be
prevented. If you are planning a night on the town, decide
before you start drinking that you are not going to drive.
Remember, alcohol affects your judgment. It’s a lot more
difficult to make the decision not to drive after one or two
drinks.
Use the following tips to keep from drinking and driving and
still have a good time:
• Drive to social events in groups of two or more and have
the driver agree not to drink.
• Arrange to ride with a friend who is not drinking.
•
Before you start drinking, give your vehicle keys to
someone who isn’t drinking and who won’t let you drive
after drinking.
• If someone offers you a drink and you plan to drive,
simply say, “No thanks, I’m driving.”
Did You Know?
1. The amount of alcohol in one (12 ounce) bottle of beer is
about equal to that in a (1 ounce) shot of whiskey.
2. When alcohol is consumed, it quickly reaches the brain
where it short-circuits the parts that control judgment,
emotions and confidence.
3. The first thing affected after drinking alcohol is a person’s
judgment.
4. Reliable research studies show that two or three drinks of
alcohol in three hours or less impair the driving ability of
most individuals.
5. It takes about one hour to cancel the effects of one drink.
It takes about three hours to cancel the intoxicating effects
of three drinks.
6. Alcohol-related vehicle crashes are the number one killer
of persons under the age of 40.
7. Many drugs, even legal over-the-counter drugs, can impair
your ability to drive. If you are taking them for a cold,
they make you feel well enough to drive, but they can also
affect alertness, judgment, coordination and vision.
8. The combined use of alcohol and other depressant drugs,
such as antihistamines, may be more dangerous to health
and highway safety than the effects of either the alcohol or
drugs alone.
We Are Doing Better
In 2015, 10,265 deaths nationwide, (29% of all traffic
fatalities) were alcohol-related. 34% of all traffic fatalities
(324 deaths) in Tennessee for 2015 were alcohol-related. Of
the 324 deaths, 88 also involved a driver who used drugs.
In 2016, the percentage of alcohol-related fatalities was
approximately 27%. The percentage of fatalities involving an
impaired (drug or alcohol) driver in 2016 was approximately
38%. Only safe driving and adhering to laws that prohibit
PREVENTION OF DRINKING AND DRIVING