Young drivers, aged between 16-26, are 17 times more likely to die in a crash when they have a blood alcohol concentration of .08% than when they have not been drinking.

 

If you are a provisional driver, you must not exceed the zero blood alcohol concentration. This means you cannot have any alcohol in your system when you are driving a vehicle. 

 

​It is also illegal for you to drink alcohol while you are driving, even if your blood alcohol concentration stays below your legal limit.

 

It was reported that 1 in 5 youth drivers involved in fatal crashes had some alcohol in their system in 2010. Most of these drivers (81%) had BACs* higher than the legal limit required for adults.

 

The percentage of youths in school who drink and drive has decreased by more than half since 1991.

 

Young drivers are 3 times more likely than more experienced drivers to be in a fatal crash, especially if they have alcohol in their system.

 

Drinking any alcohol greatly affects a person's ability to concentrate on the road and respond to hazardous situations quickly. It also gives you a false sense of confidence and affects your sense of balance and response.

 

Youth should know that: drinking coffee, exercising, having a shower or vomiting do not remove alcohol from the body, nothing gets rid

of alcohol except the passing of time.

 

Alcohol is removed from the body at about one standard drink (or 10 grams of alcohol) an hour. This means that after a few drinks, it will be some hours before the alcohol has left the body and it is safe to drive.

 

If you've been drinking, walking home is a better choice than driving. However, you are a vulnerable pedestrian and need to take extra care as alcohol affects your judgement and movement.

 

When alcohol is in your system:

• It reduces your ability to multi-task, such as drive and talk

• It also makes it hard to concentrate on driving

• It slows reaction time if something unexpected happens

• It encourages over-confidence and removes inhibitions which could lead to risk taking

• It distorts hearing and vision especially at night and makes simple tasks more difficult

• It also makes drivers more likely to fall asleep at the wheel.

 

Research has shown that factors that help to keep youths safe on the road include:

• parental or friend involvement

• minimum legal drinking age

• zero tolerance laws

• not driving whilst under the influence of alcohol, such walking or taking a taxi home

• knowing your drinking limit

 

These proven steps can help protect the lives of young drivers and everyone who shares the road with them.