CLEARFIELD – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Pennsylvania DUI Association and Clearfield County DUI Strike Force, on Thursday spoke to Lock Haven University students, at the Clearfield Campus.
The event highlighted some myths of driving impaired by drugs and or alcohol, as the Saint Patrick’s Day enforcement period is currently happening.
To reinforce how impairment may affect perception and reflexes while driving, students had an opportunity to use a driving simulator.
The Pennsylvania DUI Association’s driving simulator, presented by State Farm, offers students a hands-on look at what it is like to drive while being impaired, distracted and in many types of weather conditions.
The students also had an opportunity to wear ‘drinking’ goggles while performing different activities. The goggles provided a hands-on example of how perception and functionality is reduced while impaired.
PennDOT, DUI Association Officials and law enforcement felt this exercise helped reinforce some alcohol-related misconceptions and highlighted the after effects of driving under the influence. Additional contributions included pizza from Pizza Hut, Dominos and Scotto’s Pizza, that was given to participating students.
Some common alcohol-related misconceptions and facts include:
- Myth: Beer doesn’t have as much alcohol as “hard liquor.” Fact: Beer with about a 5-percent alcohol content by volume contains as much “pure” alcohol or ethanol as 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor or 5 ounces of table wine (12 percent alcohol by volume). Each of these constitutes one drink;
- Myth: Coffee will sober up an intoxicated person. Fact: Caffeine, cold showers and exercise have no sobering effect on an intoxicated person. The body processes approximately one drink every hour. Only time can sober someone up;
- Myth: Placing pennies in your mouth will lower your blood-alcohol content reading on a breath tester. Fact: Pennies, onions, garlic and/or other items will not lower a person’s blood alcohol content; and
- Myth: It is better to refuse a breath- or blood-alcohol test. Fact: Just by being licensed to drive in Pennsylvania, a person has agreed to submit to chemical testing. This is referred to as the Implied Consent Law. Failure to submit to such tests will result in an automatic one-year license suspension.
Motorists are reminded to always designate a sober driver. Impaired driving includes not only driving under the influence of alcohol, but also prescription or illegal drugs. State and local police will be on patrol during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
To learn more about impaired driving, visit www.JustDrivePA.com.
For PennDOT regional updates on Twitter, follow www.twitter.com/511PAStateCOLL.