Posts Tagged ‘Alcohol Consumption’

How does R-U-Buzzed Works

R-U-Buzzed is the brainchild of the Colorado Department of transportation. This brilliant idea was born out of a need to bring down the spate of road fatalities because of drunk driving. R-U-Buzzed is available from your Apps store free of cost for users of the iPhone to download it to their iPhone.

R-U-Buzzed does not give a scientific evaluation of you blood alcohol content level, but uses general information created from various accident records, medical advice and plain ingenuity to come up with an average blood alcohol content. The intention of the program is only to act as a guide for drinkers and in the end save lives.

Is R-U-Buzzed Worth it?

When the Colorado Department of Transport met for their regular meetings to devise ways of reducing road fatalities due to alcohol consumption, they decided to develop something that can connect with the new generation of drivers who were now making up the bulk of road fatalities. They contacted a marketing company who helped them to come up with the idea of R-U-Buzzed. They quickly dispatched the $8000 needed to develop the program. Since its launch on the Apps store, the application has been downloaded over 40,000 times with a spike around public holidays. Since then they have added updates that calls a cab for drunken patrons and utilize the GPS application of the iPhone to indicate their location to the cab service. As a result, the Road traffic department has been tapping itself on its back for the success of the application. It however must be noted that all users of the application must agree to a disclaimer that the results are not scientifically proven.

R-U-Buzzed Critics

Several skeptics and critics of the application have raised concern about abuse of the R-U-Buzzed application. They base their concern on stories of teens constantly drinking and testing to find their drinking limit. Owing to the fact that the findings are not scientifically supported this can be dangerous. In addition, the application only displays information based on what is imputed. Therefore, this exposes it to those who want to fool themselves about their condition.

A huge number of fatalities usually happen during the holiday season due to drunk driving. The holiday season is upon us and the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve is reported to be the most dangerous season due to alcohol related injuries and fatalities. If you plan to drink do not drive, designate a safe driver to take you home.

How much Alcohol is too much?

Because people react differently to the effects of alcohol consumption, it is very difficult to judge your own blood and alcohol concentration level. A person may not actually feel drunk but may be legally drunk. The likelihood of getting into a fatal car accident increases with every sip of alcohol you consume. Consuming any amount of alcohol will slow down your reaction time and good judgment. Research shows that impairment begins long before a person reaches the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08. A person with a blood alcohol level of .08 to .10 is considered to be legally intoxicated. A driver with the blood alcohol concentrated (BAC) of 0.10 or greater is more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle than a driver who has not consumed any alcohol.

How Consuming Alcohol can affect your Driving

There are serious risks involve if you decide to operate a vehicle while intoxicated. You can harm yourself and cause bodily injury or even death to others. Any amount of alcohol prior to operating a motor vehicle will increase your chances of a catastrophic situation. Listed below are a few reasons why you should avoid drinking and driving.

• Slower reaction time: Driving requires that you can react quickly to emergency situations. You do not have to be drunk in-order for your reflexes to be impaired. A buzz is all it takes to impair your reaction time, thus causing you to overact and losing control of the wheel and causing a delay in reaction of the brake and gas pedal.
• Alertness impaired: To drive safely you need to be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Alcohol consumption alters the normal function of the brain and body thus causing you to be less alert and aware, which can affect your driving and ability to make quick decisions and good judgment.

• Blurred Vision: Alcohol consumption also affects your vision. Your vision may get blurred or doubled due to alcohol consumption making it hard to tell whether pedestrians, other vehicles or objects are close or far away.
• Feeling of Overconfidence: People who drive after drinking may get an overwhelming feeling of confidence and not recognize that their driving is impaired. In most cases a driver who is overconfident when driving while intoxicated tends to drive more carelessly and recklessly, often times speeding, weaving from lane to lane or driving off the road and not noticing.

Drunk Driving Facts

If you get a DUI charge and/or conviction, your records will be altered. A DUI on your record can affect you life in many ways, even years after your conviction. Your DUI record is kept by Law enforcement agencies, the legal system and the department of motor vehicle (DMV). Access of your records can also be granted to several different parties, such as insurance companies, colleges, military and employers, causing devastating effects to your future.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle wrecks due to alcohol consumption are the leading cause of death in the United States. Law enforcement agencies across the nation are now issuing stiffer penalties to drunken driving violators in the hope that this will deter people from driving while intoxicated.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) reported, in 2003 approximately 4 percent of people who reported driving under the influence (DUI) in the past year had been arrested and booked for DUI in the past year.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 41,059 people died in traffic crashes in 2007 in the United States.

In 2004, 30 percent of all fatal crashes during the week were alcohol-related, compared to 51 percent on weekends and holidays.
18-20 year olds are responsible for more than 10 percent of drunk driving in the United States.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Season!

Alcohol and pregnancy don’t go together and it is better and safe to abstain from drinking intoxicating stuff during pregnancy. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy may lead to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD). This condition is very dangerous for the unborn baby.

Moderate Alcohol Consumption

In Italy, researchers have proven that moderate alcohol consumption is definitely not harmful. But, still it is better to avoid alcohol during pregnancy.

Alcohol and Abortions

Many women may have consumed alcohol even before they discovered they were pregnant. Certain doctors advise such women to have an abortion in case the alcohol they consumed had harmed the fetus. However, this type of advice is not always right. A moderate consumption of one or two drinks per day is okay. However, hard core drinking is a real problem.

Abortions out of Fear

It is not necessary to have abortions out of fear that the alcohol you drank would have harmed your baby. In Australia, the guidelines ask pregnant women should have a maximum of two drinks per day or a maximum of just seven standard drinks in a week. This seems like sensible idea.

Abort ‘abortion’ ideas

In case you had a drink or two before discovering that you were pregnant. then contact your health care practitioner and discuss the issue. Check and recheck whether you need an abortion. In 95% of the case, it may not be necessary. And, once you know that you are pregnant, abstain from consuming alcohol for the safety of the fetus and you.