Driver’s Ed
Section 4
Information Processing:
Complex Risk Environments
Bell Ringer – Day 2

Write a half a page red to red on the
below statement.

Dealing with drinking and driving:
– Why do you think it still occurs?
– What things do you think could or should be done
to make drinking and driving occur less?
– What would you do to minimize the occurrences?
Day 2 Objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The students will be able to understand situations that should
NEVER be done on interstates.
The students will be able to understand multiple lane roadway
dangers.
The students will be able to understand highway hypnosis.
The students will be able to understand why ramp metering is
effective.
The students will be able to understand that Drinking and driving at
any age is illegal
The students will be able to understand the difference between blood
alcohol concentration and Blood alcohol content
The students will be able to understand proof
The students will be able to understand blood alcohol concentration
factors
Related SOL: DE.4, DE.5, DE.6, DE.7, and DE.12
High Speed
Considerations
On the Expressway…
Do Not:

Drive over or across the
median or yellow painted line.

Make a left turn or a U-turn on
crossovers (designed for
emergency vehicles only).

Use the left lane except for
passing.

Change lanes without
signaling and checking for an
adequate gap in traffic.
This is a median
On the Expressway…
Do Not:

Drive onto an expressway
except from an on-ramp.

Park or Stop on an
expressway shoulder unless
you have an emergency or
mechanical difficulties.

Backup.

Walk or ride a bike.
This is a shoulder
NEVER BACK
UP ON AN
EXPRESSWAY!!
Multiple Lane Roadway Dangers
Brake
20 mph
20 ft.
40 mph
At higher speeds greater braking
distances are needed to stop and…
80 ft.
60 mph
180 ft.
Field of vision
is narrowed
Highway hypnosis
may occur
65 mph
Velocitation may
effect your ability to
judge speed
Traffic may enter
and/or exit on
your left
Highway Hypnosis
Is a dulled or drowsy condition that can
occur when driving long distances
Situation becomes
worse when the
driver’s eyes focus
on the center line.
Plan breaks and rest stops to combat
highway hypnosis or go to a safe area
for rest or sleep when tired.
Multiple Lane Roadway Dangers
Vehicles moving onto the shoulder
or re-entering the roadway
Windy and/or wet sections of the roadway
Two vehicles changing lanes at
the same time into same lane
Slow moving vehicles ahead or “Pack
Driving”
Tires losing traction and hydroplaning
during wet weather conditions
Ramp Metering

Used to control large volumes of traffic entering
expressways

Uses a system of lights and sensors

Allows only a few cars at a time to enter
congested limited access highways
Short Trips on Expressways
Know the name, route, and number
of the entrance and exit to be used
Check vehicle for maintenance
problems
Take a local map
Plan a time to travel to avoid
congestion around major cities
Long Trips on Expressways
Do vehicle maintenance checks
Balance vehicle load
Plan stops for:
– Food
– Rest
– Fuel
Know the route numbers you need
to take
Take a map of the planned route
Check with police or VDOT for
construction delays
Carry money or credit cards
Reducing Risk Entering the Roadway

Search for proper entrance

Search for potential conflicts

Prepare to adjust speed

Avoid stopping on the ramp

Be prepared to drive onto the
shoulder

Merge smoothly

Create space around your
vehicle
Increase Following Distance
INCREASE

When following large trucks or buses

When following motorcycles

When driving in bad weather

When being tailgated

When driving with a heavy load or
pulling a trailer

When entering/exiting the expressway
Special Roadway Conditions
Expressways through cities
• Avoid driving in the right lane when vehicles are merging
• Search for signs, signals, and roadway markings
• Search for exits early and adjust position in adequate time to exit
safely
• Don’t make last minute lane changes to gain access to an exit
• Monitor the zones around your vehicle and adjust position to
create space cushions
Special Roadway Conditions
Disabled vehicles
• Don’t be a “rubber necker”
• Give the disabled vehicle plenty of room
• Pull as far off the roadway as possible if
your vehicle becomes disabled
Special Roadway Conditions
Construction Areas
Use caution when approaching:
 Search ahead for warning signs.
 Reduce your speed.
 Adjust position to maintain a
space around your vehicle.
Special Roadway Conditions-Toll booths
 Exact change booths — The driver deposits
coins (exact change) into a machine.
 Attendant operated booths — For large
vehicles or drivers without exact change.
 Electronically operated booths — For
drivers with prepaid accounts (Smart Tag).
When exiting a toll-booth plaza, search traffic to both sides for open space,
accelerate smoothly, and adjust speed to blend with the flow of traffic.
Introduction to Alcohol
Zero Tolerance
If you are under age 21 and drive with a
BAC of at least .02%, but less than
.08%, you can be fined up to $500 and
have your license suspended for six
months.
 You also face a possible jail term for
driving while intoxicated

Administrative License Suspension
This is the implied consent law
 A breath test is taken and the results
show an illegal BAC
 or if a driver refuses to submit to the
breath test, the person’s license or the
privilege to operate a motor vehicle is
suspended immediately for 7 days.

What does B.A.C stand for?

Blood alcohol
concentration: the
percentage of alcohol
related to the total
amount of blood in
the body.
– For example: 1 drop
of alcohol per 999
drops of blood equals
.10 BAC per every
1,000 drops of fluid.
What does B.A.C stand for?

Alcohol content: the
amount of alcohol
consumed.
– For example: one 12
ounce beer is .57
ounce of alcohol
consumed or one shot
of 80 proof whiskey is
.40 ounce alcohol
consumed.
– Driving ability can be
affected by only one
drink
Blood Alcohol Concentration Factors
Factors affecting BAC
• Weight (blood volume)
Liquor
• Time Spent Drinking
• Gender
• Food
Wine
• Alcohol Content and
Size of Drink
Don’t write these
Beer
BAC Factors
Weight
Heavier people have more blood and other
body fluids to dilute alcohol consumed.
0.04
0.08
220 lbs
110 lbs
Time Spent
Drinking
Their BAC level will be lower than
the BAC of a smaller person who
drank the same volume of alcohol.
On average, a person’s BAC is oxidized at
a rate of 0.015 per hour
 90% of the alcohol detoxified (burned up)
is by the liver
 10% is eliminated in breath, urine, and
sweat
NOTE: Alcohol is toxic to the liver and brain. Hence,
the term intoxication denotes the toxic effect alcohol
has on these organs.
BAC Factors
Gender
Women process alcohol at a slower rate
than men. This is because they usually
weigh less and produce less of the
enzyme dehydrogenase needed by the
liver to break down alcohol.
Men also have a higher percentage of
body fluids which dilutes the alcohol.
Food
The amount of food in your stomach does very little to
reduce the effect alcohol has on the brain and liver.
However, food does coat the lining of the
stomach and slows absorption into the blood
stream.
Note: When alcohol is mixed with carbonated
beverages the absorption rate is faster because
gases are absorbed faster than liquids.
Are They The Same ?
•
Beer, Whiskey, Wine, Cooler, Margarita
=
=
=
?
If I drink 3 beers, you drink 3 glasses of wine and your friend has liquor.
Did we all drink the same amount of alcohol?
Are They The Same ?
Myth
A “DRINK” is:
•a 12-ounce beer,
•a 4- to 6-ounce glass
of wine, or
•a shot of liquor.
Fact
A “DRINK” is ½ an
ounce of alcohol.
Drink Equivalents
%
Ounces
Drink
Alcohol
4.2
12
Beer
.50 oz.
6.1
8
Beer
.48 oz.
10
5
Wine
.50 oz.
14
3.5
Wine
.49 oz.
40
1.25
Liquor*
.50 oz.
50
1.0
Liquor
.50 oz.
Liquor
.50 oz.
75
.67
Drinks
come in
different
sizes
and they
come
with
different
alcohol
contents
How Much Alcohol Do They Contain?
Beverage
Alcohol %
Beer
3 – 11 %
Wine
8 – 25 %
Liquor
26 - 75.5 %
Pure Grain Alcohol
95 – 99 %
How Much Light Beer?
Weight Oz. Light BAC
Beer
M
A
L
E
F
E
M
A
L
E
Oz. Light BAC
Beer
Oz. Light
Beer
BAC
200
22 oz.
0.03
37 oz.
0.05
52 oz.
0.07
180
20 oz.
0.03
33 oz.
0.05
46 oz.
0.07
160
18 oz.
0.03
30 oz.
0.05
41 oz.
0.07
140
16 oz.
0.03
27 oz.
0.05
37 oz.
0.07
120
14 oz.
0.03
22 oz.
0.05
32 oz.
0.07
100
11 oz.
0.03
20 oz.
0.05
28 oz.
0.07
200
18 oz.
0.03
30 oz.
0.05
41 oz.
0.07
180
16 oz.
0.03
27 oz.
0.05
37 oz.
0.07
160
14 oz.
0.03
22 oz.
0.05
32 oz.
0.07
140
12 oz.
0.03
20 oz.
0.05
28 oz.
0.07
120
10 oz.
0.03
18 oz.
0.05
26 oz.
0.07
100
7 oz.
0.03
16 oz.
0.05
21 oz.
0.07
Based on light beer with 4.2% alcohol by volume consumed in 1 hour.
NOTE: The alcohol content of light beer varies from 3.3 to 4.4 %.
Elimination Rate
Example
Based on 1 drink per hour for 6 hours
150 lb male
BAC in (6 hr. x .03)
= .18
BAC out (6 hr. x .015)
= .09
BAC after 6 hr. (.18 - .09)
= .09 BAC remaining
150 lb female
BAC in (6 hr. x .033)
= .198
BAC out (6 hr. x .015)
= .09
BAC after 6 hr. (.198 - .09)
= .108 BAC remaining
With shoulder partner, calculate how long to sober
Take Responsibility
Say “No” to drinking
and driving.
 Drinking and driving
at any age is Illegal
 Mixing alcohol and
driving is the leading
cause of older
teenage drivers’
crashes.

NO Thanks
I’m Driving
Proof of Alcohol
 Proof
means twice
the actual alcohol
content
– 80 proof is 40%
alcohol
– 90 proof is 45%
alcohol
– Etc etc
Liquor
Wine
Beer
Costs of Drinking & Driving in VA
OFFENDER’S TIME & COSTS
PROCESS
Traffic Stop, Field Test
TIME
CONSEQUENCES/COSTS
3 – 5 Hours
If juvenile, parents notified
1 – 2 Hours
After booking: Immediate 7 day
Arrest, Breath Test
Booking
Magistrate Reviews
Incident Report
suspension of Driver’s License
(Setting Bond, Booking)
Posting Bail
Will be held till
sober
$500 Unsecured
to
Minimum 4 hours $2500 Secured
Car Towed
1 – 2 Hours
$100 Towing Fee
(unless there is another sober
driver in vehicle)
Costs of Drinking & Driving in VA
OFFENDER’S TIME & COSTS
PROCESS
Return to General
TIME
CONSEQUENCES/COSTS
1 – 2 Hours
Time lost from work or school
1 – 3 Hours
$112 – Court Appointed
District Court after
7 days to retrieve
Driver’s License
Hiring an Attorney
meeting with
to
counsel/retaining $1500 - $4000 – Private Counsel
counsel
Appearing in Court
1 – 3 Hours per
Court appearance
(Minimum 2
appearances)
2 days work/school missed
Costs of Drinking & Driving in VA
OFFENDER’S TIME & COSTS
PROCESS
TIME
CONSEQUENCES/COSTS
Paying Court Costs
License can/will be
suspended
depending on
offense class
Court Cost = $164
Fine = $250 - $1000
Felony Conviction
Loss of Voting
Rights & Right to
Bear Arms
Jail Time
0 –12 Months
(depends on BAC
and number of
previous convictions: can be
mandatory)
0 - $500 Fine
.20 BAC has a mandatory
5-day jail & $250 fine
.25 BAC has a mandatory
10-day jail & $250 fine
2nd offense within 5 years
has a mandatory 5-day jail
and $500 fine
PLUS: If a juvenile is in
car = $500 fine and 5-day
jail
Costs of Drinking & Driving in VA
PROCESS
Trip to DMV for
Restricted Driver’s
License for 12 months
TIME & COSTS
TIME
1 – 2 Hours
CONSEQUENCES/COSTS
$120 Fee for required restricted
license
Driver’s License marked with
a BIG Red letter
restricted
(1st offense)
R for
Attend Alcohol Safety
Action Program
(ASAP)
Minimum 20 hours
ten week alcohol
education course
$350 plus $25 per sighted drug
screen as required plus any
other treatment costs
Notify Insurance Co.
Must apply for
SR22 on Driver’s
License (3-5 years)
$1000 - $2,000 increase in car
insurance per year
Obtain Non-restricted
1 – 2 Hours at DMV
$10 fee
Total Cost: $5,000 - $20,000
The costs in time, money and lives for drinking and driving is
HUGE! Remember drinking & driving is illegal at any age.
Elimination Rate
Myth
The average person can tolerate one drink per
hour without substantial impairment.
Facts
•Sobriety returns ONLY with time.
•Alcohol is eliminated at approximately .015 BAC
per hour.
Titanic Principle
If you take in more than your system can pump
out, sooner or later you’ll sink!
So what is the only factor that
removes alcohol form the body?

TIME!!
Class Work
Read pages 374 – 388
 List the 10 misconceptions about
drinking.
 On page 381 answer review question 13
 On page 387, List and explain the legal
measures to correct problems caused
by alcohol.

The End!