Pothead
12-21-2007, 08:56 AM
20/12/07
You’d have to have spent your life buried under a rock not to be aware of the dangers of drink driving. Every year there’s a new, hard hitting campaign to remind people not to succumb to that ‘one last pint’ before heading home, and the Think! Road Safety campaign estimate the government’s tough stance on drink driving has saved an estimated 20,000 lives in the last 13 years.
But experts are just starting to realise that there might be other things that could impair your driving abilities just as much as drinking. Recent research has revealed that driving while using a mobile phone (even hands-free) slows reaction times by 50%. The same study found driving under the influence only impairs reaction times by 30%.
Luckily, tough new penalties mean more people are aware of the dangers of using of a mobile at the wheel. Since February 2007, any drivers caught talking on their mobile will get a £60 fine and three points on their licence.
But just because you wouldn’t dream of driving after having a few drinks and always switch your mobile off before getting into the car, it doesn’t mean you’re the world’s safest driver. Unfortunately, there are other ways your driving could be impaired without you even realising it. Luckily, MORE TH>N has compiled a list of things to watch out for before you hit the road.
Driving with poor eyesight:
According to a 2004 study by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, nearly a third of UK drivers could be taking serious risks on the road due to their poor eyesight. After carrying out basic eye examinations on people who did not wear glasses, the study found that 65% of those who failed the tests were drivers. Even more worryingly, one in three of those who failed admitted they knew their sight was not perfect. If that sounds like you, beware! Driving with uncorrected vision is an offence which carries a fine of up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification.
Driving while hungover:
You had a great time at the party and happily got a taxi back to your friend’s house, but what about getting home the next day? If the last drink you had was in the early hours of the morning, and it’s now 8am, you may still be over the limit. It takes an hour for a standard drink (such as half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine) to leave your system and nothing can ‘speed’ that process up – not even showering or drinking coffee.
Driving while taking prescribed medications:
According to a report in the Guardian this year, older women prescribed common drugs such as valium or lithium are more of a menace on the roads than cannabis users. The RAC Foundation also claimed up to a million people in the UK could be driving while taking anti-depressant drugs whose side effects can include agitation, aggression, anxiety, dizziness and blurred vision. It urged the government to take action, but said in the meantime, patients should closely monitor their own behaviour to find out if their driving abilities were hampered by taking the drug.
peace
You’d have to have spent your life buried under a rock not to be aware of the dangers of drink driving. Every year there’s a new, hard hitting campaign to remind people not to succumb to that ‘one last pint’ before heading home, and the Think! Road Safety campaign estimate the government’s tough stance on drink driving has saved an estimated 20,000 lives in the last 13 years.
But experts are just starting to realise that there might be other things that could impair your driving abilities just as much as drinking. Recent research has revealed that driving while using a mobile phone (even hands-free) slows reaction times by 50%. The same study found driving under the influence only impairs reaction times by 30%.
Luckily, tough new penalties mean more people are aware of the dangers of using of a mobile at the wheel. Since February 2007, any drivers caught talking on their mobile will get a £60 fine and three points on their licence.
But just because you wouldn’t dream of driving after having a few drinks and always switch your mobile off before getting into the car, it doesn’t mean you’re the world’s safest driver. Unfortunately, there are other ways your driving could be impaired without you even realising it. Luckily, MORE TH>N has compiled a list of things to watch out for before you hit the road.
Driving with poor eyesight:
According to a 2004 study by the Royal National Institute for the Blind, nearly a third of UK drivers could be taking serious risks on the road due to their poor eyesight. After carrying out basic eye examinations on people who did not wear glasses, the study found that 65% of those who failed the tests were drivers. Even more worryingly, one in three of those who failed admitted they knew their sight was not perfect. If that sounds like you, beware! Driving with uncorrected vision is an offence which carries a fine of up to £1,000, three penalty points and possible disqualification.
Driving while hungover:
You had a great time at the party and happily got a taxi back to your friend’s house, but what about getting home the next day? If the last drink you had was in the early hours of the morning, and it’s now 8am, you may still be over the limit. It takes an hour for a standard drink (such as half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine) to leave your system and nothing can ‘speed’ that process up – not even showering or drinking coffee.
Driving while taking prescribed medications:
According to a report in the Guardian this year, older women prescribed common drugs such as valium or lithium are more of a menace on the roads than cannabis users. The RAC Foundation also claimed up to a million people in the UK could be driving while taking anti-depressant drugs whose side effects can include agitation, aggression, anxiety, dizziness and blurred vision. It urged the government to take action, but said in the meantime, patients should closely monitor their own behaviour to find out if their driving abilities were hampered by taking the drug.
peace