Because some teenagers are old enough to drive yet too young to legally drink, they often pack a bag full of bottles and head out of town to drink – in parks or cottages, for instance. This is especially true during the dog days of summer.
The old adage, “walk or take the bus home” is almost impossible to apply in rural areas, so teens end up staying overnight or, unfortunately, driving home drunk.
Did you know, that drivers aged 19 with a blood alcohol level of .08 (80 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, the criminal limit in Canada) are 20 times more likely to die in a fatal crash than any drivers of any other age? At a blood alcohol limit of .15, the chances increase to 65 times the normal amount.
Graduated licensing has zero blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rules and some jurisdictions restrict driving after drinking under age 21.
Despite what you may think, or what your friends may tell you, drinking doesn’t make you cooler, more outgoing or more attractive. It can kill you if you combine it with driving.
Check out ways to “say no to drinking and driving” in the online pamphlet, “SMASHED: A sober look at drinking and driving” at www.tc.gc.ca. Remember: 2011 is Canada’s Year of Road Safety. The Government of Canada is asking everyone to rethink road safety.
