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.
Administrative Licence Suspension Program
The Administrative Licence Suspension Program in Nova Scotia lets a peace officer suspend your driver's licence for 90 days for impaired driving or refusing to do tests for alcohol or drugs. This suspension happens right away.
The goals of the program are to:
- discourage people from driving while impaired
- prevent repeat impaired driving
If you are charged with an offence, then right away the police will suspend your driver's licence for 90 days.
Any driver with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.05% and 0.08% may be removed from the road and suspended from driving for at least 7 days.
Minimum penalties in Nova Scotia for impaired driving are listed below. However, judges will make decisions based on the facts of each case. There could also be a difference in the fine and prison term if death or injury or dangerous driving is involved.
For a first offence, you may face:
- fines
- suspension from driving for 1 year
- fees to get your licence back
- completion of an approved Driving While Impaired Program, including fees to enroll in the program
- re-testing, including written, road and vision tests
- enrollment in the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program for at least 1 year, if alcohol was involved
For a second offence, you may face:
- mandatory jail term of at least 30 days
- suspension from driving for 3 years
- fees to get your licence back
- completion of an approved Driving While Impaired Program, including fees to enroll in the program
- re-testing, including written, road and vision tests
- enrollment in the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program for at least 2 years, if alcohol was involved
For a third offence, you may face:
- mandatory jail term of 120 days
- suspension from driving for 10 years
- fees to get your licence back
- completion of an approved Driving While Impaired Program, including fees to enroll in the program
- re-testing, including written, road and vision tests
- enrollment in the Alcohol Ignition Interlock Program for at least 3 years, if alcohol was involved
For fourth and subsequent offences, you may face:
Note: If your licence is suspended while you are enrolled in the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program, you will have to start the 2-year program over again after the suspension is done.
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