It's About Control
Alcohol-induced
impairment is the greatest contributing factor in many motor vehicle
fatalities. The basic rule underlying all safe driving is to keep your
vehicle under control at all times.
Drivers who have consumed
alcohol do not have complete control over themselves, and therefore cannot
be in control of a vehicle. They are a danger to themselves and
others.
What Alcohol
Does
Alcohol is not a stimulant. From the first drink it
depresses the central nervous system. The feeling of stimulation is
because the higher functions of the brain, including social restraints and
judgement, are impaired.
When alcohol enters the stomach, it does
not have to be digested. It is absorbed through the walls of the stomach
and the small intestine into the bloodstream which carries it throughout
the body.
In the brain, alcohol first depresses the area of higher
function. Next it attacks the simple motor functions, reaction time and
vision. Balance, co-ordination and sensory perception are the next
faculties to be impaired. Concentrated drinking will eventually lead to
stupor, coma and even, if continued steadily, death.
The most
important factors contributing to alcoholic impairment are the amount of
alcohol absorbed into the blood and the amount of time allowed for the
elimination of this alcohol. The human body works to change alcohol into
nourishment and/or to pass it out of the body, but it can only do this at
a slow rate. This rate is affected by such other factors as body weight,
the quantity and type of food in the stomach and the type of alcoholic
beverage consumed.
How the Body Handles
Alcohol
The liver breaks down about 90 per cent of the
alcohol a person consumes into usable food. The lungs and kidneys
eliminate most of the remainder. But these human body processes need time
to remove alcohol from one's system. In terms of usual alcoholic
beverages, it takes more than an hour to eliminate each 340 ml bottle of
beer or 40 ml drink or 80 ml of unfortified wine.
Some people seem
to be able to "hold their liquor" better than others, and this excuse is
often used by those who do not want to believe that a few drinks can
seriously impair driving ability. Because of body weight, fatigue,
emotional condition, or a number of other reasons, individuals may show
differing effects from drinking the same amount of alcohol. However, they
may be equally impaired.
Another danger develops when the alcohol
starts to "wear off". You can easily convince yourself that you no longer
feel the effects and are perfectly sober. This state of mind is a
delusion. You are comparing your peak feeling of impairment with the
declining impairment that you feel as your body eliminates the alcohol
from the blood. But you are not sober. You are only making a dangerous
comparison.
Fallacies
Most of us
have tried them at one time or another -- black coffee, cold showers,
taking a jog around the block. But we must recognize them for what they
are -- ineffective. There is only one thing that can sober a person:
time.
Drugs and/or Medication
While
alcohol is the most common cause of driver impairment, there are other
substances, such as illegal drugs or medications that can create a safety
hazard.
Many illegal drugs are extremely dangerous to use,
especially when driving. As well, some medications, either prescription or
over-the-counter drugs, are known to cause inattention and drowsiness.
Take great care not to drive while taking these drugs.
Examples of
Prescription Drugs That May Affect Driving Skills:
Analgesics
- Codeine
-
Other narcotics
Antidepressants
- Tricyclic
antidepressants
Antiemetic agents
Antihistamines
Antipsychotic drugs
-
Haloperidol
- Major tranquillizers
- Phenothiazines
(i.e., chlorpromazine)
Ophthalmic preparations
Sedatives and anxiolytics
-
Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
Skeletal muscle relaxants
Other
- Antihypertensive
drugs
- Antineoplastic agents
-
Chemotherapeutic agents
- Immunosuppressants
-
Steroids
(Source: Physician's Guide to Driver Examination)
Alcohol and the
Law
Even if you are well below the .08 level of alcohol in
the blood that is accepted as the legal level in law, you can still be
impaired; and the courts recognize this. Being caught at above .08 per
cent blood alcohol in the bloodstream, in itself, is a criminal offense.
But you can be impaired on one drink and can be charged and convicted with
less than .08 in your bloodstream if you show other symptoms of
impairment.
The average blood alcohol content of convicted
alcohol-involved drivers in Nova Scotia is .16 per cent -- twice the legal
level.
FAILURE OR REFUSAL TO PROVIDE A SAMPLE: The courts will
convict a person who, without a reasonable excuse, fails or refuses to
provide a sample of their breath or blood to a peace officer.
The Criminal Code of Canada
Under the
Criminal Code of Canada a person commits an offense when operating or in
care or control of a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs
even though their blood alcohol level is less than 80 milligrams of
alcohol in 100 mL of blood (.08 per cent). Penalties can include fines,
imprisonment, or both, and a prohibition from driving. Convictions may
result in the loss of insurance, higher insurance rates, and loss of
employment.
If a peace officer has "reasonable and probable
grounds" to suspect the presence of alcohol, the driver of a vehicle may
be demanded to supply a sample of breath in an approved screening device
(ALERT), or to accompany the peace officer to provide a breath sample for
analysis (Breathalyzer). If the person is unable to provide a breath
sample, the peace officer may demand a sample of blood be taken by a
qualified medical practitioner for analysis. It is an offense to refuse to
provide these samples.
Penalties in Nova
Scotia
Penalties in Nova Scotia for driving while impaired
are outlined below, and all fines and assessment fees must be paid by the
driver. The judge's decision and sentencing is based upon the specific facts of each
case. Fines and jail terms can also be affected by whether any deaths, bodily harm or
dangerous driving resulted from the motorist's actions.
1st offence:
-
a fine of $600 to $2000
-
revocation of driving privileges for one year from the date of
conviction (not the date of being charged)
-
completion of an Addiction/Drug Dependency Services
assessment program ($455.00, your cost)
-
licence reinstatement fee of $124.60 (your cost)
-
you might also be required to be re-take any and all
of your driver's tests, including written, road,
and vision tests.
2nd offence, within a 10-year period:
-
a fine of $600 to $2000
-
possible prison term of at least 14 days*
-
revocation of driving privileges for three years from the
date of conviction (not the date of being charged)
-
completion of an Addiction/Drug Dependency Services
assessment program ($455.00)
-
licence reinstatement fee ($124.60)
-
you must re-take your driver's tests: written, road, and
vision tests.
3rd offence, within a 10-year period:
-
a fine of $600 to $2000
-
prison term of at least 90 days*
-
revocation of driving privileges is indefinite (minimum of ten
years) from the date of conviction (not the date you were charged)
-
completion of an Addiction/Drug Dependency Services
assessment program ($455.00)
-
licence reinstatement fee ($124.60)
-
you must re-take your driver's tests: written, road, and
vision tests.
4th offence, within a 10-year period:
* Persons prosecuted by indictment for offences under Sections 253, 254
of the Criminal Code (Canada) are liable to receive a prison term of up to
five years. Persons prosecuted by way of summary conviction under these
sections are liable to receive a prison term of up to six months.
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