GMC 2003 Sierra - Manual (Page 285)

ТЪеге is а gandijr cliff ere rtce, too. Women generally
have a lower reistive perceniage of bociy waler
than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, Ihis
moans Iha! a woman generafly will reach a higher ВАС
level than a man of her same body weight when
each hag the same number of drinks.
The law in an increasing number of ij.S, stales, and
Ihroughout Canada, sets the tegal limit at 0,00 percent.
In some other countries, 1he llmil is even lower. For
exampfa, it is 0.05 percent in both France and беппапу,
The ВАС limit (or all commercial dm'ors in the United
States is 0,04 percent.
The ВАС will be over O.lO percent attar three to six
drinks (In one hour). 0( course, as we've seen, it
depends on how much alcohol Is in the drinks, and how
quickly the person drinks them.
But (he ability to drive is affected wall below a ВАС of
O.lO percent. Research shows (hat ihe drivrng skitls
oi many people are impaired at a BAG approaching
0.05 percent, and Thai the effects arg worse at night. AH
drivers are impaired ai ВАС levels above 0,05 percertl.
Statistics show that the chance ol being In a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a ВАС of
0.05 percent or above, A driver with a ВАС level of
0,06 percent has doubled his or her chance
Ы having a
collision. At a BAG level of 0,10 percent, the chance
of this driver having a collision Is 12 rimes greater; at a
level of 0Л5 percent, the chance is 25 Times grealerf
The body takes about an hour lo rid itaell erf the afoohoi in
one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed thal up. "ГИ be carefuf Isn't the right
answer. What if there's an emergency, a need to lake
sudden action, as when a child darts Into the street? A
person with evan a moderate BAG might not be able lo
react quickly enough to avoid the coNlsion*
There's sumething else about drinking and driving thal
many people don'l know. Medical research shows thal
alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially Injuries to the brain, spinal cord or
heart This means lhat when anyone who has been
drinking — driver or passenger — is fn a crash, thal
person's chance ot being killed or permanently disabled
Is higher than if the person had nol been drinking.
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