DON"T BE A HONKEE

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

DON'T BE A HONKEE
Louisville, KY. Pastor Jean Davidson writes in “These Days” Daily Devotions.
“Feel Like Honking?”
“I was driving home when I approached a cross street where cars were waiting. Only twenty feet from the crossing, a car cut in front of me. I slammed on the brake and somehow stopped with inches to spare. I looked to see what had happened to the car I had barely missed. It con­tinued on as if nothing had happened. I wanted to follow the car and tell the driver what I thought about his driving. It did not occur to me to pray for God's best for him. I suspect that I should have. In a culture where revenge is the norm of the entertainment world, we are called to let go and live a different way, a way that blesses even drivers who nearly hit us.”
GHD all rights reserved

DO WHAT AFTER CRASHING?

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

DO WHAT AFTER CRASHING?
CASANOVA, VA.: Harley G. asks if one should think ahead about what to do if involved in a crash. Each state has its own rules about the actions required of drivers involved in a crash. The rules, laws, and DMV suggestions in VA are similar to many other states so lets use them as a model.

Our first concern should be about possible injuries. If there are any injuries the police should be contacted immediately. If, luckily, there are no injuries the vehicles should be moved (if possible) so that traffic is no longer blocked or slowed.

The police should be contacted also if the vehicles are so damaged that they cannot be driven to another location and traffic cannot move safely. Call for police assistance if alcohol seems to be involved in the situation, one of the drivers has no insurance or flees the scene, or the property damage appears to exceed $1,000 (even a few bent panels can add up quickly).

Find a safe, practical way to warn on-coming traffic of the hazard ahead. Raise the vehicle hood, if possible, as a visual sign of trouble. Enlist some bystanders to help by using flares, waving a white or red cloth as a flag, and a flashlight at night. Be especially wary of fast approaching vehicles especially where the line of sight is short. Tractor trailers need a long space to come to a full stop.

All involved drivers are required to exchange full information such as name, address, license tag number, drivers license number, and vehicle description. Also seek witnesses and obtain their name, address, phone number, etc.

Carry a list of these needed actions in your vehicle. After the crash you may be too shaken to think clearly about the information you must gather or the laws about moving the vehicles. One of the best possible reasons for having a cell phone is the ability to summon medical and police help quickly. Harley says he always has one of the Kodak inexpensive, one use, cameras in both of his autos to record a crash scene immediately, before the vehicles are moved.
GHD215 all rights reserved

HOW MUCH BOOZE FOR .08% BAC?

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

HOW MUCH BOOZE FOR .08% BAC?
NORTH POWNAL, VT.: Audrey S. asks how many alcoholic drinks one can consume to reach the new federal limit of 0.08 percent blood alcohol content (BAC) that defines a vehicle driver as DUI (Diving Under Influence)? She reports that about 18,000 vehicle deaths, adults and children every year are alcohol related

First lets understand that this law, passed by Congress and signed by the President, is effective only in states whose legislature adopts this stricter standard for drunk driving. Those states not having done so by year 2004 have lost a lot of federal highway construction money (I confess, I don't know which, if any).

Oh well, lets get back to Audrey’s question. A 137 pound woman will reach 0.08 BAC with three servings of 1 ounce of liquor, or 3 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer in one hour on an empty stomach. A man of 170 pounds would get there with four servings. Be advised that another factor in amount tolerated is age. Persons in their 60s, 70s, etc might get drunk on lesser amounts in the same amount of time.

Another generalization is that persons in the 60+ age group drink less alcohol on any given occasion than do younger persons. This lower BAC law will do nothing to stop the chronic heavy drinking offenders who continue to drive after loss of license and are let off easy by the courts. But it should give good guidance to the many drivers who believe it is their responsibility to drive safely or not drive.. Also, while the stated BAC is presumptive evidence of DUI, drivers with lower levels can be arrested for DUI by exhibiting other symptoms such as erratic driving or inability to walk a straight line.

The important fact to remember is that even one drink of alcohol affects driving skills, more so for some than for others. Know your personal limit and remain WRECK-LESS.
GHD214 all rights reserved

HOW MUCH BOOZE FOR .08% BAC?

WRECK-LESS DRIVING©
by Gunther Doerfert, Auto Safety Columnist

HOW MUCH BOOZE FOR .08% BAC?
NORTH POWNAL, VT.: Audrey S. asks how many alcoholic drinks one can consume to reach the federal limit of 0.08 percent blood alcohol content (BAC) that defines a vehicle driver as DUI? She reports that more than 17,400 vehicle deaths, adults and children, annually are alcohol related

First lets understand that this law, passed by Congress and signed by the President, is effective only in states whose legislature adopts this stricter standard for drunk driving. Those states not having done so by year 2004 lose a lot of federal highway construction money

Oh well, lets get back to Audrey’s question. A 137 pound woman will reach 0.08 BAC with three servings of 1 ounce of liquor, or 3 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer in one hour on an empty stomach. A man of 170 pounds would get there with four servings. Be advised that another factor in amount tolerated is age. Persons in their 60s, 70s, etc might get drunk on lesser amounts in the same amount of time.

Another generalization is that persons in the 60+ age group drink less alcohol on any given occasion than do younger persons. This lower BAC law has done little to stop the chronic heavy drinking offenders who continue to drive even after loss of license and are let off easy by the courts. But it should give good guidance to the many drivers who believe it is their responsibility to drive safely or not drive.. Also, while the stated BAC is presumptive evidence of DUI, drivers with lower levels can be arrested for DUI by exhibiting other symptoms such as erratic driving or inability to walk a straight line.

The important fact to remember is that even one drink of alcohol affects driving skills, more so for some than for others. Know your personal limit and remain WRECK-LESS.
GHD214 all rights reserved