9. Drinking and Driving
The law says you must be 21 years of age to drink alcohol. The reality is that alcohol is accessible, and some teens will choose to drink.
Driver’s Edge is not based on the assumption that no one will ever drink. It is based on the expectation that you understand the consequences of your decisions.
Alcohol affects judgment, reaction time, and awareness—three things that are critical to safe driving. Even small amounts can have a significant impact on your ability to respond to changing conditions.
Each year, thousands of people are killed in alcohol-related collisions. A large percentage of those involved are young drivers.
Every 45 minutes, someone is killed by a drunk driver.
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Use your head. Do not drink and drive.
The consequences are just not worth it. Remember, if you are driving, you are not only responsible for yourself, but for the lives of your friends and others on the road. So if you are going to drink get a designated driver, take a cab, rideshare or make other arrangements. No matter how in control you think you are, even the smallest amount of alcohol can affect your reflexes.
Many teens have a stronger fear of their parents than they do of drinking and driving.
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Many teens are reluctant to call their parents if they have had too much to drink and need a ride. This reluctance can cause a teen to feel obligated to drive because of the fear of punishment. What do you think would upset your parents the most? Admitting that you have been drinking, but are responsible enough not to drive, or receiving a phone call from the police in the middle of the night saying that you have been arrested for a DUI or worse.
Teens have little driving experience.
Teens have little drinking experience.
Deadly combination.
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Even The Rich And Famous Make Mistakes.
The following is a short list of celebrities, musicians, and sports figures who have all been arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence.
- Paris Hilton
- Nicole Ritchie
- George W. Bush
- Kid Rock
- Nick Carter
- Chevy Chase
- Carmelo Anthony
- Justin Timberlake
- Shai LaBeouf
- Dr Dre
- Heather Locklear
- Vince Vaughn
- David Hasselhoff
- Lindsay Lohan
- Kiefer Sutherland
- Charles Barkley
- Britney Spears
- Vince Neil
- Tiger Woods
- Keanu Reeves
- Dennis Rodman
- Justin Bieber
- Mel Gibson
- Khloe Kardashian
- Flo Rida
- La Mar Odom
- Jean-Claude van Damme
It Doesn’t Take Much
Over one million drivers are arrested each year for drinking and driving. How much alcohol will make you legally impaired? Not much.
The following graphic shows the approximate blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) based on body weight and number of drinks per hour:
What If You Are Arrested For A DUI?
Laws regarding underage drinking and driving vary from state to state. In many states, drivers under 21 are subject to “zero tolerance” laws, meaning any measurable amount of alcohol can result in penalties. These may include license suspension, fines, or other consequences. In more serious cases, or depending on the level of impairment, penalties can increase and may include mandatory education programs, community service, or even jail time.
It all adds up to a lot of embarrassment and a lot of expense. And let’s not forget the loss of a driver’s license that is an inconvenience that no teen wishes to endure.
Compared to the rest of the world, however, illegal BAC levels in the United States are relatively high. Many countries have stricter limits:
- .00% – Brazil, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Saudi Arabia
- .02% – China, Norway, Sweden
- .03% – Japan, India
- .05% – Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, South Korea, South Africa
In this Video: Impairment Simulation
Driver’s Edge students are wearing goggles that simulate different levels of alcohol and drug impairment, demonstrating how quickly coordination and judgement can be affected.