Drinking and Driving

Drinking and Driving is inexcusable.

With Christmas behind us, how many of us overheard people discuss who is driving home after they’d had a few drinks?

Simply put, this is disappointing.

How is it that two intelligent, socially aware human beings can be found a few hours into a dinner party discussing wether or not they’re “okay” to drive?

Shouldn’t transportation arrangements be made beforehand the same way we choose what we’re going to wear?

Well sometimes we don’t have a designated driver, or sometimes we just plain mess up and drink too much without realizing.

Here’s a tip: If you’ve had more than one alcoholic drink, assume you’re impaired.

Forget trying to analyze what you’ve drunk, calculating it’s effects by including what you’ve eaten and your body weight…..Einstein would have difficulty without a toxicology report.

In Canada, the Criminal Code Blood Alcohol Content limit is .08%. This is the level at which Criminal Code impaired driving charges can be laid. Almost every province and territory in Canada has laws for drivers whose Blood Alcohol Content is .05% and over.

It is important to realize, though, that even small amounts of alcohol can impair driving ability.

If .05% is the BAC threshold, how many drinks can I have?

I used to think if I had 2 drinks an hour, I’d stay under the legal limit, this was the standard of serving as a bartender back in the day. This only works for a couple of hours. After that, the alcohol is simply building up in your system and your BAC will continue to rise with each drink.

The MADD chart provides a general idea of how many drinks it takes to get to the .05% and .08% BAC levels, based on weight, standard drinks and a metabolism rate of a .015% decrease in BAC per hour.

Even writing that sentence becomes confusing, I cannot imagine doing that math after a few drinks.

If you’d like to you can print the chart, stick it in your purse or pocket and try to negotiate the math go for it, but remember that alcohol affects everyone differently and there are many factors that contribute to your BAC level.

 Your safest bet, as always, is to separate drinking from driving entirely.

Arrange a ride and relax.

Think you can sober up before driving? Hope you have time…

We’ve all heard tips on how to sober up quickly, if you can sober up more quickly by drinking coffee or water, jogging, taking a shower, or taking a nap? Think again!
If you are over the legal limit, it will take about six hours for your body to get rid of all the alcohol.

Instead of ending up in a situation where you’re weighing the risks, choose to take a cab, a bus or sleep where you are.

“I’ve only had a few.”

Justifications such as these may make sense to someone who is impaired, but the reality is very different and very dangerous. Each day in Canada, 4 people are killed and 190 are injured in impaired driving crashes.

How many of those impaired drivers used those excuses to justify getting behind the wheel impaired?

Going into 2012 please join me in taking drinking and driving seriously, pledge not to drink and drive and spread the word to your friends and family.