Alcohol is a major killer on our roads..

About one-half of all traffic deaths are alcohol related. Learning about alcohol's effects on the mind and body could prevent you from making a fatal error -- drinking and driving!

Effects of alcohol:

Poor judgment:

Alcohol acts like an anesthetic, dulling areas of the brain that enable people to make sensible decisions.

Slowed reaction time:

Drinking slows reflexes and hinders coordination. Drivers who can't react quickly are a hazard to themselves and others.

Loss of concentration:

Drinking may cause drowsiness. When alertness decreases, the chances of having an accident increase.

Visual problems:

Alcohol can cause double or multiple vision and blurring. It also reduces peripheral vision, making it difficult to see vehicles approaching from the right.

Risks of Alcohol:

People fail to recognize alcohol's handicapping effects. Some drinkers mistakenly think that alcohol improves their driving ability.

People foolishly believe that coffee, a cold shower, exercise or fresh air can sober them up. Time is the only way to sober up.Some people lack experience as drivers. The result may be unpredictable driving behavior when they are drunk, possibly leading to tragedy.

People don't realize that beer and wine are just as potent as hard liquor. 12 ozs. of beer, 5 ozs. of wine and 1.5 ozs. of 80-proof liquor all contain the same amount of alcohol.

Nationwide, about 25,000 lives could be saved each year if people didn't drink and drive.