<p>OK, this is important enough, and I do have scientific evidence.
[quote]
Alcohol and other central nervous system depressants impair the ability to divide attention among the many factors involved in safe driving. Current studies have demonstrated that impairment at a BAC of .02% is measurable not only in laboratory studies of divided attention, as indicated by prior research, but in field investigations of fatal crashes. Attending to lane position, curves, intersections, traffic control devices, presence of other vehicles, etc., while driving is particularly difficult, even at relatively low levels of intoxication. A BAC of .02% can be obtained in most drinkers after approximately 2 standard drinks in an hour, depending upon various biological factors (e.g., body size, gender, rates of absorption and metabolism). At BACs well below .08-.10%, variability in lane position, increased brake use, decreased steering ability, gear changing and steering errors are commonly detected during closed course driving tests.
<p>That article also has a table that shows that at blood alcohol levels of .020-.049%, the relative risk of involvement in a fatal single car crash is increased by 2.5 - 3x. (Single car data is used to eliminate the variable of fault lying with another driver - bottom line, 1 or 2 beers can triple the risk that you'll wrap the car around a tree on your way home).</p>
<p>More:
[quote]
For reference, a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04 percent might be achieved by a 150-pound man consuming two drinks in 1 hour (7).</p>
<p>The brain's control of eye movements is highly vulnerable to alcohol. In driving, the eyes must focus briefly on important objects in the visual field and track them as they (and the vehicle) move. Low to moderate BAC's (0.03 to 0.05 percent) interfere with voluntary eye movements, impairing the eye's ability to rapidly track a moving target (8-10).</p>
<p>Steering is a complex psychomotor task in which alcohol effects on eye-to-hand reaction time are superimposed upon the visual effects described above. Significant impairment in steering ability may begin as low as approximately 0.035 percent BAC and rises as BAC increases (11).</p>
<p>Alcohol impairs nearly every aspect of information processing by the brain (3). Alcohol-impaired drivers require more time to read a street sign or to respond to a traffic signal than unimpaired drivers; consequently, they tend to look at fewer sources of information (12). Research on the effects of alcohol on performance by both automobile and aircraft operators shows a narrowing of the attentional field beginning at approximately 0.04 percent BAC (13).</p>
<p>The most sensitive aspect of driving performance is the division of attention among component skills. Drivers must maintain their vehicles in the proper lane and direction (a tracking task) while monitoring the environment for vital safety information, such as other vehicles, traffic signals, and pedestrians. Alcohol-impaired subjects who are required to divide their attention between two tasks tend to favor one of them. Therefore, alcohol-impaired drivers tend to concentrate on steering, becoming less vigilant with respect to safety information. Results of numerous studies indicate that divided attention deficits occur as low as 0.02 percent BAC (12).</p>
<p>....</p>
<p>Finally, investigators have not found an absolute BAC threshold below which there is no impairment of any kind. Certain skills important for driving are impaired at 0.01 to 0.02 percent BAC, the lowest levels that can be measured reliably by commonly used devices (17).
<p>While I do have my own issues with AA and Al-anon I agree that they are a good starting resource.THis young woman obviously has troubles that she is screaming forhelp for ( even if you don't want to admit that one DUI is a call for help- two in one week is a air raid siren)</p>
<p>What always scares me when driving though is the thought that my FIL who is a definite alcoholic and has been since before I have known him- starting every day with mulitple beers and never gone for treatment- is that he has never recieved a DUI although he has been involved in rather bizarre accidents.
There are too many bad drivers on the road- with or without substance impairment to have more than one drink while out and about.</p>
<p>A couple of additional pieces of information.
1. Here in California, and probably elsewhere, the police have a great annual event. They round up five or ten prominent individuals - politicians, entertainers, reporters, other popular folks, who volunteer to have a couple of drinks, followed by taking a driving test under observation (by the police and some TV cameras) to show the public exactly how one's driving, and one's judgement, is affected by alcohol</p>
<ol>
<li>Here in California, and I'll bet elsewhere. there are two ways to receive a DUI conviction. The first one is to have had a BAC of 0.08% or higher - whether or not it affected your driving or caused an accident. This is an absolute standard. The second one is to have been found to be driving while intoxicated ("under the influence" - which also includes drugs or medication) - which is independent of your BAC.</li>
</ol>
<p>I don't know all the circumstances, but after the first DUI, what in the world was that girl doing behind the wheel of a car? Let alone out? I know its hard to control difficult teens, but where did she get a car to drive? The potential damage that could have been done is really scary. </p>
<p>This is something that needs to be thought about. Not necessarily to address this particular case, but in general. Talk about enabling!!!</p>
<p>I am very curious about that. I mean, if they suspended her license or whatever, that is good, but how did she get hold of a deadly weapon like that...she was damn lucky no one was hurt, and whoever let her have the car should also be called to task, and be given some sort of warning, if nothing else</p>