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.