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We here at Boozer Press encourage all our visitors to go out, have some drinks ,have fun, but DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE.
On this page we're going to touch on D.W.I Laws and penalties
States turn on to idea of ignition locks
By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY
More convicted drunken drivers may have to blow into devices that won't let them start their cars if they're
intoxicated now that several states are embracing tougher penalties.
New Mexico last Friday became the first state to require "ignition interlock" systems for first-time
offenders. The devices, which act as breath-alcohol analyzers that control a car's ignition, will be on their cars for one
year. Drivers with four or more DWI convictions are required to drive with the interlocks for the rest of their lives.
The devices cost the offenders about $1,000 a year.
Until now, they were required only for repeat offenders and for a maximum of a year.
"This is the first time it's been so broad," Jonathan Adkins, communications director for the Governors
Highway Safety Association, says of the New Mexico law. "States realize we haven't won the drunken driving battle yet."
At the same time, the Senate version of a federal highway spending bill before Congress threatens to
withhold about $600 million in highway construction and maintenance funds if states don't subject high-risk offenders to stiffer
sanctions, including ignition interlocks and license suspensions.
Moderation is defined as no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. This limit
is based on differences between the sexes in both weight and metabolism.
Count as a drink- 12 ounces of regular beer (150 calories) 5 ounces of wine (100 calories) 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled
spirits (100 calories)
ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT CHART
MALES
|
APPROXIMATE BLOOD ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE |
| DRINKS* |
BODY WEIGHT IN POUNDS |
EFFECT ON PERSON |
| |
100 |
120 |
140 |
160 |
180 |
200 |
220 |
240 |
|
|
0 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
ONLY SAFE DRIVING LIMIT |
|
1 |
.04 |
.03 |
.03 |
.02 |
.02 |
.02 |
.02 |
.02 |
IMPAIRMENT BEGINS. |
|
2 |
.08 |
.06 |
.05 |
.05 |
.04 |
.04 |
.03 |
.03 |
|
3 |
.11 |
.09 |
.08 |
.07 |
.06 |
.06 |
.05 |
.05 |
DRIVING SKILLS SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED.
** CRIMINAL PENALTIES IN
MOST STATES |
|
4 |
.15 |
.12 |
.11 |
.09 |
.08 |
.08 |
.07 |
.06 |
|
5 |
.19 |
.16 |
.13 |
.12 |
.11 |
.09 |
.09 |
.08 |
|
6 |
.23 |
.19 |
.16 |
.14 |
.13 |
.11 |
.10 |
.09 |
|
7 |
.26 |
.22 |
.19 |
.16 |
.15 |
.13 |
.12 |
.11 |
LEGALLY INTOXICATED.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES IN ALL STATES |
|
8 |
.30 |
.25 |
.21 |
.19 |
.17 |
.15 |
.14 |
.13 |
|
9 |
.34 |
.28 |
.24 |
.21 |
.19 |
.17 |
.15 |
.14 |
|
10 |
.38 |
.31 |
.27 |
.23 |
.21 |
.19 |
.17 |
.16 |
Subtract .01% for each 40 minutes of drinking.
* One drink is
equal to 1¼ oz. of 80-proof liquor, 12 oz. of beer, or 4 oz. of table wine.
All states have a .08 Blood alcohol content
DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT CHART
FEMALES
|
APPROXIMATE BLOOD ALCOHOL PERCENTAGE |
| DRINKS* |
BODY WEIGHT IN POUNDS |
EFFECT ON PERSON |
| |
90 |
100 |
120 |
140 |
160 |
180 |
200 |
220 |
240 |
|
|
0 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
.00 |
ONLY SAFE DRIVING LIMIT |
|
1 |
.05 |
.05 |
.04 |
.03 |
.03 |
.03 |
.02 |
.02 |
.02 |
IMPAIRMENT BEGINS. |
|
2 |
.10 |
.09 |
.08 |
.07 |
.06 |
.05 |
.05 |
.04 |
.04 |
DRIVING SKILLS SIGNIFICANTLY
AFFECTED.
** CRIMINAL PENALTIES IN
MOST STATES |
|
3 |
.15 |
.14 |
.11 |
.11 |
.09 |
.08 |
.07 |
.06 |
.06 |
|
4 |
.20 |
.18 |
.15 |
.13 |
.11 |
.10 |
.09 |
.08 |
.08 |
|
5 |
.25 |
.23 |
.19 |
.16 |
.14 |
.13 |
.11 |
.10 |
.09 |
|
6 |
.30 |
.27 |
.23 |
.19 |
.17 |
.15 |
.14 |
.12 |
.11 |
LEGALLY INTOXICATED.
CRIMINAL PENALTIES IN ALL STATES |
|
7 |
.35 |
.32 |
.27 |
.23 |
.20 |
.18 |
.16 |
.14 |
.13 |
|
8 |
.40 |
.36 |
.30 |
.26 |
.23 |
.20 |
.18 |
.17 |
.15 |
|
9 |
.45 |
.41 |
.34 |
.29 |
.26 |
.23 |
.20 |
.19 |
.17 |
|
10 |
.51 |
.45 |
.38 |
.32 |
.28 |
.25 |
.23 |
.21 |
.19 |
Subtract .01% for each 40 minutes of drinking.
* One drink is
equal to 1¼ oz. of 80-proof liquor, 12 oz. of beer, or 4 oz. of table wine.
All states have a .08 Blood alcohol content
DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!!
 "If I have too much to drink, I can drink a lot of coffee to sober up
quickly. Right?"
Ha. Tell us another one! Drinking a lot of coffee after
drinking too much alcohol may, however, increase your discomfort through the need to use the bathroom while being transported
to the jail on DUI charges. Only time reverses impairment.
"Will eating
breath mints after drinking fool a police 'breath test'?"
Eating mints
will not affect your BAC level since it isn't the smell of your breath, but the alcohol content, that's measured. Using breath
mints, however, may earn you points with the arresting officer if you normally have bad breath.
"Well, at least eating breath mints might fool the officer, right?"
Ha. Sure, police are really fooled when they see a combination of erratic driving behavior and powerfully minty
breath. Yep, that one fools us every time. Get real.
"I've heard preparing
yourself by eating certain foods before an evening of heavy drinking will help keep your sober. Is that true?"
That story has been around since before your grandparents were born. The only relation we've seen between what
you eat before drinking and your drunkenness is that the more you drink, the more likely we are to find what you ate on your
shirt, or on the floorboard of the patrol car.
"Ok, but if I
eat a BIG meal before drinking, won't that help keep me from getting drunk?"
How much
you have eaten, and how recently, may have a small effect on how quickly or slowly the alcohol you consume will enter your
bloodstream — but it won't stop the alcohol from entering. If you drink too much, you will become intoxicated. There
may be, however, a direct correlation between the size of your meal and how much of your meal may be found later in patrol
cars and jail cells.
"Will splashing cold water on my face or
taking a cold shower help sober me up?"
Splash away! And by all means,
take a cold shower. It may make you cleaner, but it won't sober you up or make you a safe driver. The deputies at the jail,
however, prefer clean drunks and recommend showering prior to doing anything that will lead to your arrest, such as driving
after you've been drinking.
"Will running around the block a few times
sober me up enough to drive home?"
Exercise won't sober you up any
faster, but feel free to run around the block as many times as you like. The deputies at the jail ask us to remind you to
shower after your long run and before you drive a car.
"They were serving
a spiked punch, but I couldn't even taste the alcohol in it. I can't be drunk!"
Party-goer, beware. Fruit juices have the ability to mask the taste of alcohol. A fruit "punch" can contain
a substantial amount of alcohol without the taste of the alcohol being noticed — but it will make you just as drunk
as alcohol which you can taste in another kind of drink. A mild-tasting cup of punch at a party may contain more alcohol than
any normal drink you would buy at a bar.
Nothing sobers up a drinker except time.
Marijuana and Driving
Get The Keys:
How You Can InterveneThe U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) and The Advertising Council's Innocent Victims public service campaign emphasizes the need to intervene
and get the keys away from someone about to drive drunk.
Here are some helpful tips and
advice from focus group research on how people can get the keys away from a drunk driver:
| 1. |
If it is a close friend, try and use a soft, calm
approach at first. Suggest to them that they’ve had too much to drink and it would be better if someone else drove or
if they took a cab.
|
| 2. |
Be calm. Joke about it. Make light of it.
|
| 3. |
Try to make it sound like you are doing them a
favor.
| |
| 4. |
If it is somebody you don’t know well, speak
to their friends and have them make an attempt to persuade them to hand over the keys. Usually they will listen.
|
| 5. |
If it’s a good friend, spouse, or significant
other, tell them that if they insist on driving, you are not going with them. Suggest that you will call someone else for
a ride, take a cab, or walk.
|
| 6. |
Locate their keys while they are preoccupied and
take them away. Most likely, they will think they’ve lost them and will be forced to find another mode of transportation.
|
| 7. |
If possible, avoid embarrassing the person or being
confrontational, particularly when dealing with men. This makes them appear vulnerable to alcohol and its effects.
|
Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk.
Pass It On. |
EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL AT SPECIFIC BAC LEVELSThe effects of alcohol intoxication are greatly influenced by individual variations;
some users may become intoxicated at a much lower BAC level than is indicated (below)...
0.02 — 0.03 BAC: No loss of coordination, slight
euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not apparent. Mildly relaxed and maybe a little lightheaded.
0.04 — 0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being,
relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution.
Your behavior may become exaggerated and emotions intensified (Good emotions are better, bad emotions are worse)
0.07 — 0.09 BAC: Slight impairment
of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. Euphoria. Judgment and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason
and memory are impaired (in some* states .08 is legally impaired and it is illegal to drive
at this level). You will probably believe that you are functioning better than you really are. (
* —As of July, 2004 ALL states had passed .08 BAC Per Se Laws. The final one takes effect in August of 2005.)
0.10 — 0.125 BAC: Significant
impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgment. Speech may be slurred; balance, vision, reaction time and hearing
will be impaired. Euphoria. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle at this level of intoxication in all states.
0.13 — 0.15 BAC: Gross motor
impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria * is beginning to appear. Judgment and perception are severely impaired. (
* —Dysphoria: An emotional state of anxiety, depression, or unease.)
0.16 — 0.19 BAC: Dysphoria predominates,
nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."
0.20 BAC: Feeling dazed/confused or
otherwise disoriented. May need help to stand/walk. If you injure yourself you may not feel the pain. Some people have nausea
and vomiting at this level. The gag reflex is impaired and you can choke if you do vomit. Blackouts are likely at this level
so you may not remember what has happened.
0.25 BAC: All mental, physical and
sensory functions are severely impaired. Increased risk of asphyxiation from choking on vomit and of seriously injuring yourself
by falls or other accidents.
0.30 BAC: STUPOR. You have little comprehension
of where you are. You may pass out suddenly and be difficult to awaken.
0.35 BAC: Coma is possible. This is
the level of surgical anesthesia.
0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma, and
possible death due to respiratory arrest.
FACTOID: Unbelted occupants account for 84% of impaired driving fatalities
in Oklahoma (and 84% of impaired driving fatalities, nationwide). Fasten those seat belts! (NHTSA statistics)
When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol or caffeine it can retard the growth of blood-forming stem cells in her baby's bone
marrow, a study suggests.
Stem cell researchers, exposed the cells to caffeine and alcohol in a test tube and found both caused harm. Drinking even
one cup of coffee would have an effect, said a pediatrics researcher at Wayne State University in Detroit.
"Everyone gets excited about the mother using crack cocaine, No one thinks about the mother using Mountain Dew."
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