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Drunk & Drugged Driving Prevention Porterville College

Stay Safe Campaign

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month – December 2020

IT'S THE LAW

Driving under the influence (DUI) violation defined:

It is unlawful for a person who is under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug, or the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage and drug, to drive a vehicle.

December-Drunk & Drugged Deriving Awareness Month

Each December, we go out for fun, parties and drinks with family and friends. But we ask you to stop and think for a second about being responsible. December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month and since the holiday season has a higher accident rate than others on average, it is important to echo the message of consciousness of being in a proper state behind the wheel.

According to the National Safety Council, over 40,000 people died in alcohol-related traffic accidents last year. So this year, stay safe during the holidays.

NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH TIMELINE

2014 Safety Bill: Rep. Nita Lowey sponsored national legislation requiring car ignition interlocks.

2004 Setting the Limit: All 50 states adopted .08 as the legal blood alcohol limit.

1990 Becomes Law: The Supreme Court ruled that police sobriety checks on public roads are constitutional.

1980 Speaking Up: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) founder Candy Lightner challenged legislators to take drunk driving seriously.

Drunk & Drugged DRINKING WILL COST YOU

Towing Charges: $174

Impound/Storage Fees: $225

Drivers License Reinstatement Fee: $125

New Driver License: $22

Court Fines/Misc. Expenses: $2563

High Risk Insurance 3 years: $12,000

Lawyer Fees: $10,000

The above costs are approximate. Actual costs will vary and may be significantly higher

In addition, if you are arrested for DUI you will receive 2 points on your driver license and/or have your driver license suspended.

NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH FAQS

When is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month?

National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month occurs annually in the month of December, as it is the height of the holiday season.

What is blood alcohol content?

Blood Alcohol Content, or BAC, is the scale used to describe the level of alcohol in the bloodstream of a person. It can be used to determine the sobriety status of a person, as well as being of use in court as evidence for DUI charges

Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limits

It is illegal for any person to operate a vehicle with a:

  • BAC of 0.08% or higher, if the person is 21 years old or older.
  • BAC of 0.01% or higher, if the person is under 21 years old.
  • BAC of 0.01% or higher at any age, if the person is on a DUI probation.

Under 21—Zero Tolerance for Alcohol Use

If you are under 21 years old, you must submit to a hand-held breath test, preliminary alcohol screening (PAS), or one of the other chemical tests. If your BAC measures 0.01% or higher on the PAS, you may be suspended for 1 year.

What other kinds of testing is used to determine BAC?

Besides blood and urine tests, the other most used method are Field Sobriety Tests, which are cognitive and balance tasks law enforcement uses to determine a person’s well-being. Walking in a straight line or saying the alphabet backwards are an example of field sobriety tests.

A designated drive can save a life!

HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL DRUNK AND DRUGGED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH

Do a sober period

During December, try to challenge yourself and set a period of time without drinking alcohol. Be it one week, two weeks, make it as long as you would like. You may even see some benefits on laying off the drinks for a while, save money, lose weight, and much more.

Take a cab or use a ride-sharing app after a party or visiting a bar

No one says you can't party and let loose for a while. But if you've had too much, get home safely. Call a cab, or better yet, use your ride-sharing app and let the professionals do the driving. That way, you'll be around for the festivities next year.

Be a Designated Driver

You'll make a great impression for being the one friend others can trust to drive back home. It is an overall small sacrifice for a night that won’t affect your chances to have a great time, so offer yourself up and give your friends a helping hand!

Commonly Misused Drugs

EFFEECTS OF COMMONLY MISUSED DRUGS ON DRIVING

Alcohol and/or drugs impair your judgment. Impaired judgment or good sense affects how you react to sounds and what you see. It is also dangerous to walk in traffic or ride a bicycle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The use of any drug (the law does not distinguish between prescription, over-the-counter, or illegal drugs) which impairs your ability to drive safely is illegal. Check with your physician or pharmacist and read the warning label if you are not sure that taking the medication will affect your driving. Here are some facts:

Most drugs taken for colds, hay fever, allergy, or to calm nerves or muscles can make a person drowsy.

Medicines taken together or used with alcohol can be dangerous. Many drugs have unexpected side effects when taken with alcohol.

Pep pills, “uppers,” and diet pills can make a driver more alert for a short time. Later, however, they can cause a person to be nervous, dizzy, and not able to concentrate. They can also affect the vision.

Marijuana affects psychomotor skills and cognitive functions critical to driving including vigilance, drowsiness, time and distance perception, reaction time, divided attention, lane tracking, coordination, and balance.

Opioids can cause drowsiness and can impair cognitive function.

Alcohol can reduce coordination, concentration, ability to track moving objects and reduce response to emergency driving situations as well as difficulty steering and maintaining lane position. It can also cause drowsiness.

FACTS ABOUT DRUNK & Drugged DRIVING

  • 27 die daily in drunk driving accidents in the US
  • On Average, New Year’s Eve is the day with most DUI arrests, but Fourth of July has the most drunk driving related deaths
  • Along with marijuana, prescription drugs are also commonly linked to drugged driving crashes
  • Use of illicit drugs or misuse of prescription drugs can make driving a car unsafe—just like driving after drinking alcohol
  • Alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes is about four times higher at night than during the day
  • Of all teen traffic fatalities, 20 percent are DUI related
  • Of all motorcycle fatalities, 39 percent are alcohol related

Court DUI Convictions

If you are convicted of DUI of either alcohol and/or drugs or both, and you have an excessive BAC level, you may be sentenced to serve up to 6 months in jail and pay a fine between $390–$1,000 the first time you are convicted. Your vehicle may be impounded and is subject to storage fees.

On the first conviction your driving privilege will be suspended for 6 months and you will be required to complete a DUI program, file a California Insurance Proof Certificate (SR 22/SR 1P), and pay all fees before your DL can be reinstated.

In cases involving serious injury or death, you may face civil lawsuits. All DUI convictions will remain on DMV’s records for 10 years. The courts and/or DMV may impose more stringent penalties for subsequent violations during that period.

Created By
Todd Dearmore
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Created with images by rhonda_jenkins - "car accident crash" • Ichigo121212 - "prison prison cell jail"