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DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED Everything we ingest affects our bodies and possibly our ability to drive safely. We are all responsible for being aware of our driving abilities at any given moment, and that is especially true when drugs or alcohol are involved. When we consume drugs, including alcohol, our initial impairment may be mild, but it escalates as we consume more. This can result in various and increasing levels of lowered inhibitions, euphoria, excitability, slurred speech, impaired coordination, confusion, memory trouble, difficulty concentrating, loss of motor functions, breathing problems, vomiting, and unconsciousness. All of these side effects impair our driving. Alcohol Alcohol-impaired driving, or "drunk driving" can occur even with small amounts of alcohol in our systems, because alcohol affects everyone differently. It is important to remember that: X Alcohol's effect on driving begins with a person's first drink. X Alcohol needs no digestion time and is absorbed directly through the walls of the stomach; it can reach the brain within 60 seconds. X Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) may be affected by age, gender, physical condition, medication, time, food, and other factors. X As the body ages, its ability to break down alcohol decreases. Therefore, alcohol stays longer in an older person's body. X Mixing alcohol and medications may have unexpected effects on our driving. X As a rule of thumb, a "drink" is one 12-ounce beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled alcohol. It takes about two hours for one drink to leave the body. Each additional drink extends impairment for about another two hours. X Mixed drinks contain different amounts of alcohol, so it is important to know how much alcohol has been consumed, not just how many drinks a person has had. X BAC can continue to rise for a period of time after the last drink is consumed. X Drinking coffee, exercising, or taking a cold shower cannot speed up the rate at which alcohol leaves the body. A er consuming drugs or alcohol, the question is not, "Is this legal?" but "Am I impaired?" Remember, the only safe level of drug or alcohol consumption before driving is none at all! AARP DRIVER SAFETY 12 HOW DO WE NAVIGATE CHANGES? 2 1 2 3 4 5 6