Some important info follows about DRUNK & DRUGGED DRIVING so please…

December: Drunk & Drugged Driving Awareness Month

Deaths due to impaired driving are highest during the holiday season!

You are never too young to start thinking about safe driving!

In 2006, an 17,602 people died in alcohol-related traffic crashes—an average of

1 every 30 minutes.

3 in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lives!

Don’t Become a Statistic!

The leading cause of death for teens aged 15 to 24 in N.J. every year since 1988 has been car accidents.

Most of these involve alcohol.

So why do teens drink & drive?Teens are more likely to

take dangerous risks.Alcohol interferes with their

Judgment and Common Sense!

Alcohol makes something that is dangerous seem harmless and safe.

So… alcohol can cause poor decision making, resulting in car crashes, injuries, death.,

What is Alcohol’s Effect on the Brain?

1. Depresses? (slows it down).

or

2. Stimulates? (speeds it up).

or

3. No effect at all.

The Answer:

2. Depresses. (slows down the brain)

It slows reaction timeIt decreases attention and alertnessIt causes poor coordinationIt causes poor judgment

Alcohol is in the Depressant Class of Drugs:

SPECIAL WARNING FOR TEENS:

The legal drinking age is 21 to insure a person is fully developed both physically and emotionally to make a responsible decision about alcohol.

Teens who binge drink are more likely than any other age group to die from alcohol overdose/poisoning.

Binge drinking can cause

DEATH

Marijuana also Impairs Driving!• Many Teens view marijuana as a

“harmless” drug that does not impair driving ability.

• Marijuana affects many skills required for safe driving: alertness, concentration, coordination, and reaction time.

• Marijuana use can make it difficult to judge distances and react to signals and sounds on the road.

Did You Know Alcohol AbuseAlso contributes to

• Cancer• Liver Disease• Heart Disease• Injuries

All this can happen from Alcohol?

How to Stay SAFE as a PassengerDon’t ride with a driver who

has been drinking!Promise never to drink and

drive!Always wear a seatbelt!Don’t distract someone who

is driving!Don’t ride with a driver who

drives recklessly!

BE SAFE AND WAIT

21

and…The Legal

Drinking Age

Please NEVER drink and

drive! The results will make everyone sad