This document discusses the physical and mental effects of alcohol consumption and driving. It explains that alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and carried to the brain within minutes, impairing reaction time, coordination, vision, and judgment. It provides information on blood alcohol concentration levels and corresponding impairment. It also outlines several field sobriety tests used by police to evaluate impairment, including evaluating balance, walking and turning ability, and eye movement. The goal is to determine if a driver's skills are diminished due to alcohol consumption.

1. ALCOHOL AND DRIVING

2.  absorbed into
blood stream
 Does not need
 Carried to brain within
 All absorbed within 15 to
40 minutes
How Does Alcohol Act On The Body?
Quickly
digestion
minutes

3. Alcohol
increases
mental and
physical
ability.
 Alcohol decreases how
fast you move and
think.
Myth Fact

4. Some people
can drink a
lot and not
be affected.
 No one is immune to
the effects of alcohol.
Myth
Fact

5.  If you eat a lot first,
you won’t get drunk
 Food will slow down
the absorption but
will not prevent
intoxication.
Myth Fact

6.  Coffee and a little
fresh air will help a
drinker sober up.
 Only time will help a
drinker sober up –
other methods just
don’t work.
Myth

7.  Stick with beer – it’s
not as strong as wine
or whiskey.
 A few beers are the
same as a few shots of
whiskey – they affect
you equally.
Myth Fact

10. BLOOD ALCOHOL
CONCENTRATION
AND EFFECTSBAC SIDE EFFECTS
.02-.03 Few
Outward effects: small
change in mood
.05-.06 Feel warm, calm, exaggerated
emotions, small decrease in
reaction time, small decrease
in fine motor skills,
judgement affected, more
drinking
.07-.09 Increased speech impairment,
off balance, impaired motor
skills and vision, increased
emotions (happy, sad, anger)
*Don’t recognize drunkeness
.11-.12 Difficulty in coordination and
balance, DISTINCT
impairment of judgement

11. BLOOD ALCOHOL
CONCENTRATION
BAC SIDE EFFECTS
.14-.15 MAJOR impairment of mental
and physical control
-slurred speed, blurred vision, no
motor skills
-NEEDS MEDICAL
ATTENTIONS
.20 LOSS of motor control, need help
moving around, mental
confusion. NEEDS
HOSPITALZATION
.30 SEVERE intoxication, little
control of mind and body.
NEEDS HOSPITALIZATION
.30 UNCONSCIOUSNESS: NEEDS
HOSPITALIZATION

14. Check your BAC

16. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
 Reaction Time: After two or more drinks, a
driver becomes physically slower and less alert.
 Example: Reaction time from accelerator to
brake.

17. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
Coordination: Movement gets sloppy and off balance
Drivers who have been drinking are more/less able than
others to make critical decisions.
Example: Trouble steering (weaving in and out of their lane)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXz7XrVSOxU

18. PHYSICAL
EFFECTSOF
ALCOHOL
 Vision:
 Alcohol affects the reflex action of
the eyes that causes pupils to
become smaller/larger in bright
light and smaller/larger as light
diminishes.
 Example: Police officer shines
bright light into the driver’s eyes.
Pupil dilation isn’t immediate if
under the influence.

19. PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

20. MENTAL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
 Alcohol also affects
the part of the brain
that controls the
ability to reason.
 Drinking drivers are more dangerous because
they don’t have the judgment to realize that
something is wrong.
 Personality is affected.
 May influence you to take risks you wouldn’t
normally attempt.

21. FIELD SOBRIETY TESTS
 If a driver gets pulled over AND the police
suspects they are DUI, a field sobriety test can be
conducted.
The driver must perform simple tests to test their
abilities
 One-Leg Stand
 Walk and Turn
 Horizontal gaze nystagmus test

22. ONE-LEG STAND TEST
 Driver asked to stand
with one foot raised
about 6 inches.
 He must count aloud
until asked to stop.
 Police officer is
looking for
 Foot down
 Arms out to side
 No follow directions

23. WALK AND TURN
 Walk heel-to-toe along
a line for nine steps,
turn at the end and
return: (Simple for
sober drivers)
 Reasons for Test:
 Following directions
 Physical ability

24. HORIZONTAL GAZE NYSTAGMUS TEST
 What is it?
 Jerking movement of
eyes:
 When they follow an
object from side to side
 Commonly caused by
alcohol consumption
 Police use a penlight
to test
 Helps determine if a
person had been
drinking.

25. NON-STANDARDIZED FIELD
SOBRIETY TEST
 Finger-to-nose
 ABC’s
 Finger count test

26. ALCOHOL SURVEY