Download - What If wasted It All Adds Up. lives - sccmo
You’ve broken the law. You’ve been drinking and you’re under 21. Now what?
•Whateveryoudo,DONOTattempttodriveyourself home,evenifyouthinkyou’reokay.
• Askafriendwhohasn’thadanyalcoholtogiveyoua ride.Adesignateddriveristhepersonwhohashad NOalcohol.
• Ifyouandallyourfriendshavebeendrinking,calla parent,oldersiblingorevenacab.Everyonewillbe gladyouchosethesafewayhome.
• Ifyou’vebeen drinking at a friend’shouse, stayingwhereyou areisalwayssafer thangamblingwith yourownlifeand thelivesofothers.
• Seeafriendstumblingtotheircar?Gettheirkeys andfindthemasafewayhome.Youcouldbesaving theirlife.
Alcohol Poisoning – Knowing the Facts Can Save Lives.
Teenagersareparticularlyvulnerabletoalcoholover-dose.Ifapersondrinkstoomuchalcohol,thealcoholwillshutdownbreathingandheartfunctionsandkillapersonwithinafewhours.Bingedrinkingisespeciallydangerousbecausethevictimcaningestafataldosebeforebecomingunconscious.
Critical Signs for Alcohol Poisoning:
•Mentalconfusion,stupororpersoncannotberoused
• Vomitingwhilesleeping
• Seizures
• Slowbreathing(lessthan8breathsperminute)
• Irregularbreathing(10secondsormorebetween breaths)
• Hypothermia(lowbodytemperature),bluishskincolor orpaleness
What If...
It All Adds Up.Nomatterwhatyourdrinkofchoiceis(beer,wineorhardliquor)youwillbeaffected.
Allofthesewillputaboutone-halfounceofalcoholintoyoursystem.Keepinmindthatsomespecialtydrinks(e.g.,LongIslandIcedTea,ZombieandPartyPunch)aremadewithseveralshotsofliquorandaremuchstronger.
12ozsofbeer
5%alcohol
5ozsoftablewine12%alcohol
1.5ozswhiskey
80-proofliquor
= =
wastedlives
Alcohol&YoungDrivers
Missouri Department of TransportationP.O. Box 270 Jefferson City, MO 65102
573-751-4161800-800-BELT
www.saveMOlives.comwww.modot.org
This brochure paid for with federal highway safety funding by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
HS11.086
You’vewaitedalongtimetoearnyourMissouriDriver’sLicense.Untilnow,you’vehadtorelyonyourfamilyforridestomovies,ballgamesandfriendshouses–butnomore.Minor laws, major consequences. Underagedrinkingisagainstthelaw.Itisillegalforanyoneunder21topurchase,possessorconsumeANYamountofalcohol.UnderMissouri’sZeroToleranceLawyourlicensewillbesuspendedifyou’recaughtdrivingwithevenatraceofalcoholinyoursystem–thatmeanslessthanonedrinkcanputyouovertheedge.
You’ve got too much to lose. Fines,lawyerfees,higherinsurancecosts–aDWIcancostyouthou-sandsofdollarsplusjailtimeandweekendstiedupwithcommunityservice.Youcouldbekickedoffthesportsteam,possiblykickedoutofschool,andloseyourchanceatcollegeoraparticularcareer.
How alcohol affects you.Alcoholisapowerfuldrug,medicallyclassifiedasadepres-sant.Evensmallamountsofalcoholcanaffectyou.Considerthesepoints:
• Alcoholisquicklyabsorbedintothebloodstreambecause itdoesn’tneedtobedigested.
• Alcoholaffectsyouphysically.It’slikeananesthetic, slowingyourreflexesandaffectingyourcoordination– essentiallydullingyourbrain.
• Alcoholstopsyoufrombeingontopofyourgame.It causesdrowsiness,slowsreactiontime,andimpairsyour visionandjudgement.
Think Before You Drink
Facts to Consider.Yourbloodalcoholconcentration(BAC)canbeinfluencedby:
• Bodyweight–thesameamountofalcoholwillgenerally haveagreatereffectonalighterpersonthanona heavierperson.
• Gender–ingeneral,fortwopeopleofthesamesizeand alcoholintake,BACwillbehigherinthewomanthanin theman.Thisistypicallybecausewomenhavelesswater intheirbodyandmorefattissuethanmen.
• Food–themorefoodyouhaveinyourstomach,the sloweralcoholislikelytobeabsorbed.
• Howfastonedrinks–thefasteryoudrink,thefasteryou becomeimpairedorintoxicated.
What does it take to sober up?Coffee,exercise,freshairoracoldshowerwon’tdoit.Onlytimewillgetthealcoholoutofyoursystem.Andit’slongerthanyouthink–togetridofjustonefluidounceofalcoholtakesaboutonehour.Ifyougotosleepat1:00a.m.withaBACof.15percent,itwilltakemorethan10hoursforyourBACtodropbackdownto.00percentsoifyouhavetogetupearlythenextmorninganddrivesomewhere,youwillstillbeundertheinfluenceofalcohol.
Legal Drinking Age: Why 21?Thebraingoesthroughdynamicchangesduringadolescenceandalcoholcanseriouslydamagethegrowthprocess.Ahighrateofenergyisuseduntilthebrainmaturesatage20.AccordingtotheAmericanMedicalAssociation,damagefromalcoholatthistimecanbelong-termandirre-versible.