Impaired Driving Article (Kaye P) - Any Headline Ideas?

When people mention "impaired driving", what do you think of? For most people, drunk driving is the topic that comes to mind. This is not the only the form of impairment and it is important that people know of the dangers out there. In fact, more students admitted to driving within one hour after smoking marijuana than drinking alcohol.

Types of impairment include alcohol, drugs, texting, phone calls, passengers, loud music, maps, doing make up, eating, distraction by GPS and other electronic devices as well as being emotionally impaired. One person is killed every day due to an impaired driver. Is this a serious problem? Read on to find out more.

What is a safe driver?

A safe driver should be alert and have clear vision, good physical coordination and the ability to properly react to sudden events. Being impaired means that the driver cannot act in a way to ensure safety of themselves and others.

How do drugs impair a driver?

Using marijuana can cause drowsiness, altered perception, impaired coordination, relaxation and loss on inhibition. Marijuana is the most common substance in bodies of those killed in vehicle crashes. Cocaine can cause exhilaration as well as anxiety and panic. In addition to causing poor concentration and judgement, the use of cocaine causes unpredictable and possibly violent behavior. Effects of heroin on a driver include drowsiness, reduced reaction speed, blurred vision, altered perception, nausea and vomiting. Is this the kind if person you would want driving?

What does alcohol really do to a person?

Alcohol causes drowsiness, slower reaction time and problems with vision, coordination and concentration. In Ontario, drunk driving causes nearly 25% of all automobile crashes. If alcohol is mixed with any other drug, affects of both are increased, making it very dangerous.

Passengers can be both a physical and mental distraction to one so be sure that if you are driving a friend, that they are cooperative. Texting, receiving phones, and navigating with a map or GPS will take your eyes off the road. A person is twenty three times more likely to crash if they are texting while driving. Even if it is only for a minute and they are being careful, it only takes a second for a car to suddenly stop or for a child to run into the street. This is also true to doing make up or eating while in motion or at a stop light. In a moment the light can change, and if you are in motion while looking at your turkey sandwich, yourself and others could be at risk. Listening to loud music can limit hearing and one may not hear a car horn or a siren. These are very important things, even the car horn, as it may be signaling danger.

Emotional impairment is one of the least talked about ways of impairment. As a person is sad or upset, their emotions grow stronger. They may be impatient and take an unsafe turn or run a red light. If a person is sad they may cry which impairs vision and makes it difficult to drive. The person may be thinking about things and not be paying attention to the road which can cause accidents. This also ties in to talking on the phone. If a person receives a call with devastating news they may forget about the road or react in a way that causes them to run into another car.

Rates of impaired drivers are highest on weekends and early in the morning and Ontario is one of the lowest. It is the highest among teens ages nineteen through twenty four- let's stop it before it happens. Do not put yourself and others at risk. Call a cab, friend or parent when you need a lift. Be the smart one and say "no", for every person makes a difference.

For Stamford students who feel they would like to help others become aware of the dangers of impaired driving and would like to help prevent it, there is a SOSAID (Stamford Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving) club at the school. Meetings are Wednesdays after school in room twenty seven.

For more information please visit the following links

www.osaid.org

www.madd.ca

www.thinkanddrive.net