The National Safety Commission Alerts
Safety is No Accident
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Getting A DUI From Over-The-Counter or Prescription Drugs
Most everyone knows that you can be charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) when driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal controlled substances such as marijuana or methamphetamines however it is less well known that use of common over-the-counter and prescription medications could also result in a DUI. In the midst of flu season and with hay fever season just around the corner it is good time to remind drivers that commonly prescribed or over-the-counter medications can have just as great an impact on your driving abilities as alcohol. Driving under the influence means just that; any drug, legal or illegal, that causes side effects such as dizziness, incoherence, drowsiness, and loss of muscle coordination, can impair your driving to the point that you could possibly be charged with DUI.
Since the officer on the scene can't possibly test for every type of drug, the officer’s basic responsibility is to determine whether or not the driver has the physical capabilities to safely control a motor vehicle. If, in the opinion of the officer, the driver is impaired for whatever reason, the officer will make an arrest for DUI and let the courts sort out the details later on. The impact on the driver can be disastrous.
It isn't possible to list all the drugs in one article but a list of some of the most commonly used drugs and their side effects may alert you to the dangers involved.
Cold/allergy medications – Side effects of cold and allergy medications such as Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, and Dimetapp can cause:
Drowsiness
Inability to concentrate
Disturbed coordination
Increased anxiety
Dizziness
These medications should only be taken at night or when you know you will not be driving. Even medications that are advertised as non-drowsy formulas such as Claritin can, in rare instances, cause dizziness and vertigo.
Pain medications – Side effects of common pain medications such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Tylenol) and Naproxen (Aleve) can include:
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Tranquilizers/Sedatives/Anti-depressants – Even though prescribed, these drugs present a danger to drivers who use them. 10 mg. of Valium causes effects that are roughly equal to a blood alcohol content of 0.10 (0.08 is legally drunk in all states). The popular sleep medication Ambien has caused users to drive and perform other tasks with no memory of those actions after the effects of the drug have worn off.
Other Drugs - Medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and ulcers can also cause drowsiness and dizziness in some instances.
All of these drugs serve a legitimate medical purpose and, in most instances, have little adverse effect on the user but, even though a drug has not had an adverse effect in the past, the severity of a condition and other factors may combine to cause a severe impact on a driver. Medications combined with even a small amount of alcohol can have a dramatic effect. When taking a new medication, ask your doctor to explain the side effects and wait until you know how the drug will affect you before you attempt to drive.
Since the officer on the scene can't possibly test for every type of drug, the officer’s basic responsibility is to determine whether or not the driver has the physical capabilities to safely control a motor vehicle. If, in the opinion of the officer, the driver is impaired for whatever reason, the officer will make an arrest for DUI and let the courts sort out the details later on. The impact on the driver can be disastrous.
It isn't possible to list all the drugs in one article but a list of some of the most commonly used drugs and their side effects may alert you to the dangers involved.
Cold/allergy medications – Side effects of cold and allergy medications such as Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, and Dimetapp can cause:
These medications should only be taken at night or when you know you will not be driving. Even medications that are advertised as non-drowsy formulas such as Claritin can, in rare instances, cause dizziness and vertigo.
Pain medications – Side effects of common pain medications such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen (Tylenol) and Naproxen (Aleve) can include:
Tranquilizers/Sedatives/Anti-depressants – Even though prescribed, these drugs present a danger to drivers who use them. 10 mg. of Valium causes effects that are roughly equal to a blood alcohol content of 0.10 (0.08 is legally drunk in all states). The popular sleep medication Ambien has caused users to drive and perform other tasks with no memory of those actions after the effects of the drug have worn off.
Other Drugs - Medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and ulcers can also cause drowsiness and dizziness in some instances.
All of these drugs serve a legitimate medical purpose and, in most instances, have little adverse effect on the user but, even though a drug has not had an adverse effect in the past, the severity of a condition and other factors may combine to cause a severe impact on a driver. Medications combined with even a small amount of alcohol can have a dramatic effect. When taking a new medication, ask your doctor to explain the side effects and wait until you know how the drug will affect you before you attempt to drive.
Labels: driving safety, dui, prescription medication
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Traffic Tickets and the Economy
Could your driving behavior help your state meet its budget shortfalls? With the US economy going down the tubes, state and local governments are looking for ways to pay for government services without raising taxes. One thing that many are looking at as a revenue source is traffic fines.
Recent news reports show that a state Senate committee approved a new bill to increase all Florida traffic fines by $10.00 and to raise some speeding fines by $25.00. For example, the fine for 15-19 miles per hour above the limit would increase from $125 to $150. The same committee also voted to end the 18% break that Florida drivers get on their traffic fines when they attend driving school. In addition to the state fines, local governments can also tack on their own fees making their cost even higher. The state of Florida anticipates raising up to $16 million to meet budget shortfalls. If approved by the full legislature, these new fines could go into effect as early as February 1st.
A quick search of news articles shows that local governments in San Jose California, Tulsa Oklahoma, and Richmond Hill Georgia have already or are considering raising traffic fines to pay for various government programs. The small community of Richmond Hill anticipates that the added fees will generate around $20,000 to pay for internet service inside their police cars. In California, speeding drivers who request a driving school to keep their insurance rates down saw that fee rise from $24 to $94 after January 1st.
Two years ago, to pay for roads and highway expenses, Virginia increased their traffic fines astronomically. In addition to traffic fines, Virginia has imposed “civil penalties” on Virginia residents who break certain traffic laws. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit is $1,050; this is in addition to $61 in court costs and a fine of approximately $200. Violators must pay these penalties within three installments or risk suspension of their driver’s license.
The old saying goes that the only thing you can depend on in life is death and taxes but apparently some taxes can be avoided. Unlike income or property taxes that we can’t avoid paying, it is relatively easy to avoid paying these new taxes; just obey the traffic laws. Drivers who choose to disobey the traffic laws aren’t going to get a whole lot of sympathy when faced with these increased fines. And it isn’t like these are really obscure traffic laws that no one knows about. Speed limit signs are posted in clear sight. Traffic lights aren’t rocket science; you either have a green light or you don’t. So, if you are being hit hard by the economy, it doesn’t make much sense to add to the problem by choosing to break the traffic laws.
For more information on driving safety and avoiding traffic fines visit our website at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com/
Recent news reports show that a state Senate committee approved a new bill to increase all Florida traffic fines by $10.00 and to raise some speeding fines by $25.00. For example, the fine for 15-19 miles per hour above the limit would increase from $125 to $150. The same committee also voted to end the 18% break that Florida drivers get on their traffic fines when they attend driving school. In addition to the state fines, local governments can also tack on their own fees making their cost even higher. The state of Florida anticipates raising up to $16 million to meet budget shortfalls. If approved by the full legislature, these new fines could go into effect as early as February 1st.
A quick search of news articles shows that local governments in San Jose California, Tulsa Oklahoma, and Richmond Hill Georgia have already or are considering raising traffic fines to pay for various government programs. The small community of Richmond Hill anticipates that the added fees will generate around $20,000 to pay for internet service inside their police cars. In California, speeding drivers who request a driving school to keep their insurance rates down saw that fee rise from $24 to $94 after January 1st.
Two years ago, to pay for roads and highway expenses, Virginia increased their traffic fines astronomically. In addition to traffic fines, Virginia has imposed “civil penalties” on Virginia residents who break certain traffic laws. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit is $1,050; this is in addition to $61 in court costs and a fine of approximately $200. Violators must pay these penalties within three installments or risk suspension of their driver’s license.
The old saying goes that the only thing you can depend on in life is death and taxes but apparently some taxes can be avoided. Unlike income or property taxes that we can’t avoid paying, it is relatively easy to avoid paying these new taxes; just obey the traffic laws. Drivers who choose to disobey the traffic laws aren’t going to get a whole lot of sympathy when faced with these increased fines. And it isn’t like these are really obscure traffic laws that no one knows about. Speed limit signs are posted in clear sight. Traffic lights aren’t rocket science; you either have a green light or you don’t. So, if you are being hit hard by the economy, it doesn’t make much sense to add to the problem by choosing to break the traffic laws.
For more information on driving safety and avoiding traffic fines visit our website at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com/
Labels: driving safety, speeding ticket, traffic fines, traffic laws, traffic ticket
Friday, December 19, 2008
The Difference Between Road Rage And Aggressive Driving, Chapter II
In the first article of this series we discussed the difference between aggressive drivers and drivers who have been somehow pushed over a psychological tipping point into a fit of rage so great that they try to harm another driver. In this article we are going to look at aggressive driving by itself.
Every state has recognized that aggressive driving is a major problem and has taken steps to deal with it. While state laws may differ slightly, the following is a generic list of traffic infractions that will lead to a driver being labeled as an aggressive driver if he or she commits two or more of them at the same time or close together:
• Exceeding the posted speed.
• Unsafely or improperly changing lanes.
• Following another vehicle too closely.
• Failing to yield the right-of-way.
• Improperly passing.
• Violating traffic control and signal devices.
Obviously each of these offenses by themselves can be dangerous and two or more combined increase the danger.
It looks like someone who is doing all of that might be in a fit of rage but these actions by themselves are not road rage; they are just bad driving. The problem with aggressive drivers is that most aggressive drivers feel their driving behaviors are perfectly reasonable. They feel they are good drivers with lightning fast reflexes who are in complete control of their vehicles at all times. It’s just that the laws are written too strictly so the state can make extra money and other “bad” drivers don’t understand how to drive properly and get in the way.
The problem is that they concentrate on the laws passed by the state and seem to forget the laws of physics that have an even greater impact on their driving. They forget that their vehicle is traveling so many feet per second for every mile per hour that they drive (for example: at 40 mph you are covering more than 58 feet per second). In the 1.5 seconds it takes for them to react and move their foot to the brake they have traveled 87 feet before their car even begins to slow. Driving at a high rate of speed reduces the time a driver has to react to a situation.
The other laws they seem to forget are the laws of motion. Newton’s first law of motion (inertia) says that an object in motion tends to remain in motion. No matter how fast they imagine their reflexes are, it takes time to bring a 3,000 pound car to a stop. On average, at 40 mph, it takes up to 120 feet to bring a car to a complete stop.
Another problem common to aggressive drivers is that they assume too much about other drivers. They don’t expect the driver they are tailgating to stop for no reason or they hope that they can get through that red light before another driver legally enters the intersection. When lane weaving, they don’t expect another car to enter the lane at the same time. Assumptions can be deadly.
In the next article, we’ll take a more in depth look at the physics involved in a car crash.
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
Every state has recognized that aggressive driving is a major problem and has taken steps to deal with it. While state laws may differ slightly, the following is a generic list of traffic infractions that will lead to a driver being labeled as an aggressive driver if he or she commits two or more of them at the same time or close together:
• Exceeding the posted speed.
• Unsafely or improperly changing lanes.
• Following another vehicle too closely.
• Failing to yield the right-of-way.
• Improperly passing.
• Violating traffic control and signal devices.
Obviously each of these offenses by themselves can be dangerous and two or more combined increase the danger.
It looks like someone who is doing all of that might be in a fit of rage but these actions by themselves are not road rage; they are just bad driving. The problem with aggressive drivers is that most aggressive drivers feel their driving behaviors are perfectly reasonable. They feel they are good drivers with lightning fast reflexes who are in complete control of their vehicles at all times. It’s just that the laws are written too strictly so the state can make extra money and other “bad” drivers don’t understand how to drive properly and get in the way.
The problem is that they concentrate on the laws passed by the state and seem to forget the laws of physics that have an even greater impact on their driving. They forget that their vehicle is traveling so many feet per second for every mile per hour that they drive (for example: at 40 mph you are covering more than 58 feet per second). In the 1.5 seconds it takes for them to react and move their foot to the brake they have traveled 87 feet before their car even begins to slow. Driving at a high rate of speed reduces the time a driver has to react to a situation.
The other laws they seem to forget are the laws of motion. Newton’s first law of motion (inertia) says that an object in motion tends to remain in motion. No matter how fast they imagine their reflexes are, it takes time to bring a 3,000 pound car to a stop. On average, at 40 mph, it takes up to 120 feet to bring a car to a complete stop.
Another problem common to aggressive drivers is that they assume too much about other drivers. They don’t expect the driver they are tailgating to stop for no reason or they hope that they can get through that red light before another driver legally enters the intersection. When lane weaving, they don’t expect another car to enter the lane at the same time. Assumptions can be deadly.
In the next article, we’ll take a more in depth look at the physics involved in a car crash.
To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.
Be careful out there and drive safe.
Labels: aggressive driving, driving safety, road rage
