Everything you need to know about impaired driving

Everything you need to know about impaired driving

From alcohol to cannabis to digital distractions

Fortunately, most drivers know that impaired driving poses serious dangers. However, while alcohol is primarily thought of when it comes to impairment, there are other things that pose risks as well. Whether it's alcohol, cannabis, or a phone, here's what drivers need to know about impaired driving.

 

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The real effects of alcohol

As the Latin phrase “in vino veritas” says: in wine, the truth. But rather than revealing our true nature, experts agree that the effect we feel when our inhibitions disappear is rather alcoholic myopia: alcohol "limits our attention and our thoughts to the most obvious information in our life. immediate environment ".

So rather than bringing out the "real you," alcohol actually limits your attention span and causes poor judgment. Since alcohol affects self-awareness, this "other you" doesn't realize that he is impaired. You certainly wouldn't let a reckless driver drive you, so don't let that “other you” get behind the wheel.

 

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Cannabis: Being aware and careful

The effects of cannabis may be different from those of alcohol, but they still affect your ability. Due to reduced motor skills, slower reaction time and reduced concentration, drivers lose their reflexes and the ability to make life-saving decisions. These grim statistics show this: Cannabis, the most common drug, was present in the systems of drivers involved in almost half of fatal crashes in 2014.

Obviously, drug-impaired driving is illegal across Canada, where more than 14,000 police officers are trained to perform a standardized field sobriety test. And since THC can be detected in the blood long after consumption, you could face driver's license suspension, fines, criminal charges, or even jail time, regardless of whether you are impaired. or not at the time of driving. The recent legalization of cannabis has had many repercussions, including insurance coverage: see details here.

Since the psychoactive effects of cannabis vary greatly from person to person - depending on the mode of consumption, the amount consumed and the levels of THC - there are no guidelines for drivers on the amount of cannabis that is consumed. may be consumed before it is dangerous to drive or the waiting time required to drive after consumption. The official advice: don't take risks. Do not drive after consuming.

 

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Deadly distractions

The third player in this deadly trio: distracted driving. Texting while driving is the second leading killer on the road. We all know it is dangerous, and even fatal. Yet many do it anyway.

Why? According to one study, the dose of dopamine we receive upon hearing the sound of an incoming text message is not only addictive, but also blocks access to our prefrontal cortex.

When you give in to the urge to look at your phone, your eyes leave the road for 4-6 seconds. At 90 km / h, it's like walking through a football field while looking at your phone!

Other distractions are just as deadly, whether it's selecting music, eating and drinking, or even putting on makeup. For your safety, we recommend that you follow these tips to help your brain control itself and develop safe driving habits.

 

Impaired driving, which was once simply synonymous with drinking and driving, has come a long way and is now a complex minefield filled with death traps. Even while being perfectly sober, driving a vehicle that weighs more than a ton requires a great deal of skill, while showing responsibility. So if there is one important thing to remember, it is that it is essential to avoid impaired driving.