Drinking and driving facts are often ignored, especially when the bars close and we are having a good time. Or maybe we enjoyed a nice dinner out, with wine, and we know we are perfectly safe to drive. Blood alcohol levels are the last thing on our minds.
Yet, facts about drunk driving are that we cannot risk drinking and driving crashes, injuries or arrests. As you test your knowledge of drinking and driving facts against these myths, please consider some resources to help you make smart decisions.
One method to make sure you are ready to drive after drinking is to use some type of a breath alcohol kit. For example, a coin-operated breathscan can detect unsafe alcohol levels and give you the data you need to drive safely.
- I know someone who can really hold his liquor.
There is a tendency to admire someone who can drink everyone else under the table. But, the truth is this person has developed a tolerance based on chronic abuse. This party animal may even have grown beyond a psychological need into a physical, medical dependence on alcohol.
- Alcohol is a stimulant so if I have "one for the road" I’ll be wide awake.
Alcohol is a depressant that works on your central nervous system and lowers brain activity. That last drink may the one that crashes the line and turns you into a drunk driving statistic.
- Sucking on a penny will trick a breath analyzer into recording a lower BAC.
Copper does not have any effect on breath alcohol levels. Neither does chewing gum or breath fresheners. If you try a commercial mouth freshener you may get the wrong result from a breath analyzer. These products have small amounts of alcohol and could confuse your breath alcohol results.
- At least I’m not on drugs. A few drinks doesn’t mean anything compared to using drugs.
Alcohol is a drug. For young people it is the top drug of choice and more young persons die from alcohol related crashes than from all illegal drugs combined.
- Alcohol loosens you up and makes you sexy.
The first part is true. Alcohol does lower inhibition, relax your body and give false euphoria—for a while. Then it moves you into depression, anger, confusion and violence. And unfortunately, the sexy part may come at a cost of poor choices, reflected by AIDS, pregnancy or sexual assault.
Besides, how sexy can you be in jail for drinking and driving?
Resources
Breathalyzers.net – distributes several different hand-held alcohol testers, including the highly regarded AlcoMate Digital hand-held unit for consumers, and the Lifeloc FC for professional use.
Alcohol Alert! – make money and save lives in your community with a coin-operated, talking alcohol breath tester. No inventory, stocking or vendors license required.
