December Newsletter Bits

Driver of the month for December 

JEANNE! Thank you Jeanne for all you do. You go above and beyond and we appreciate it so very much! 

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With winter comes the Holidays. For some, the holidays also mean enjoying some drinks with family and friends. A few reminders before you take the first drink.

There is not a lot of difference in alcoholic content between a shot of 80 proof alcohol, a standard beer, or a glass of wine. Whatever the drink of choice may be – walk through this scenario.
          1am – You leave the bar after a couple drinks with friends or family.
          2am – You are at home and in bed after a Designated Driver drives you home.  (BAC .15%)
          8am – You wake up to get breakfast with some friends or family. You feel fine, a little groggy      
                      but you feel “ok to drive”. Did you know that even though you slept and your last drink
                      was over 6 hours ago, your BAC would be .8%, well over the legal limit. If you drive, you
                      are breaking the law and you could potentially cause serious injury or even kill yourself  or                           others. You are NOT legal to drive.

Be responsible. Stop drinking 10-12 hours before you are to be to work! You transport people and yourself! Would you want your kids in the van with someone who still had an unknown “buzz on” or even a hangover from the night before?

The roads are still MN roads and are more dangerous during winter than any other time of the year so your little “holiday buzz” could cause a “holiday funeral”. A funeral that none of us want to have to attend.

Something else to keep in mind, DROWSY DRIVING is the SAME as BUZZED DRIVING! 

Some drugs legally purchased at a pharmacy, whether they're prescribed by a doctor or bought over-the-counter (OTC), can be just as dangerous for motorists as alcohol and can trigger a DUI. Look for warning labels or ask your pharmacist if you are in doubt about a drug's capacity for impairment.
Below are some common prescription and OTC drugs that can impair drivers:
      Antidepressants: Some sedating antidepressants cause impairment similar to drunk driving.
      Valium: 10 mg of the popular tranquilizer can cause impairment similar to having a blood-alcohol 
                     concentration of 0.10 percent.
      Antihistamines: Many of them slow reaction time and impair coordination.
      Decongestants: Many over-the-counter decongestants can cause drowsiness, anxiety and dizziness.
      Sleeping Pills: Even in the morning, the residual effects of these drugs can impair drivers.
      Hydrocodone: This common pain reliever, the main component of Vicodin, is similar to opiates and 
              causes impairment similar to morphine and codeine (oxycodone has similar effects). This will 
              also show up on a drug screen. Make sure if you are taking this drug, it is prescribed to you
              and not taken BEFORE you drive.

Drinking and driving related accidents and deaths skyrocket during the holiday season. Even if you are sober, remember, not everyone else is. That means that not only do you need your full judgment, reaction time and focus just to drive on MN roads at night in the winter but also to watch out for drunk drivers who could be coming your way. You simply don’t have room for error, even sober, more or less with any alcohol in your system.

Impaired judgment, slowed motor skills, slowed reaction times are just some of the effects of alcohol at any BAC level. Don’t test your skills with other people’s lives.

Be Smart. Be Responsible. Stay Sober. Stay Alive. Stay Employed!

Have a Happy Holiday and know, you CAN have fun sober!