NO KA ‘OI HEALTH
Let me ask you: Would you want a pilot to fly you to another island or the Mainland after having a few drinks? Would you want the surgeon about to operate on you or a loved one to do so after a few drinks? Would you want your babysitter to take care of your children after a few drinks? Driving a vehicle is one of the most dangerous activities we can do. Why would anyone drive when impaired by alcohol or other substances?
This month’s article on driving sober and safe is very timely as there is a bill under consideration at the state Legislature to lower the allowable blood alcohol content (BAC) level for drivers to 0.05 from the current 0.08. Regardless of the BAC level though, please don’t drive after drinking alcohol, smoking pot or taking other drugs. Research shows that the vast majority of drivers, even experienced drinkers who typically reach a BAC of 0.15 or greater, are impaired at 0.05 BAC with regard to critical driving tasks.
This topic is very personal for me, as I am a two-time survivor of car crashes where the person who hit me was drunk. The first crash occurred while I was in college. I was hit nearly head-on and then the intoxicated driver of the other car fled the scene. I was left with a horrible concussion and a totaled car. But I was alive! The second crash occurred in my late 20s. I was a passenger in a friend’s truck, and we were stopped in traffic on a freeway in California. We were the first vehicle hit by a drunk driver traveling 65-plus miles per hour. It resulted in a five-car pileup and the intoxicated driver did not survive. Again, I had a bad concussion, was taken to the hospital by ambulance, but luckily survived.
What about all those who didn’t or won’t survive a future crash? Imagine the family grief. Think about the sadness of children who lose one or two parents. Think of the many young people whose lives have been taken. If I hadn’t survived either of these crashes, there would have been a lot of grief among my family and friends. My two wonderful children wouldn’t have later been born. I wouldn’t be here now writing this article. I am lucky to be alive! We shouldn’t need to rely on luck though.
Maui residents, and especially our youth, deserve to “arrive alive.” We as parents shouldn’t be fearful each time our teens are on the roads. Yet we keep hearing about car crashes and deaths involving intoxicated drivers. I beg of you, don’t drive after drinking or taking anything that could impair your judgment. Regardless of the BAC level, driving after drinking can alter and slow your reactions. That could make the difference between saving someone else’s life — or your own.
There is a bill currently up for vote at the state Legislature proposing to lower the BAC from 0.08 to 0.05. Please read about Senate Bill 160 at www.capitol.hawaii.gov and make your voice heard. Lowering the BAC to 0.05 has proven to be an effective strategy for reducing alcohol-related crashes and fatalities. Studies predict an 11 percent reduction in fatal crashes if states went to 0.05 BAC. In fact, Utah reduced their BAC to 0.05 and saw a nearly 20 percent drop in fatal crashes. The lower BAC created a deterrent to driving intoxicated. They did not see an increase in arrests while seeing a large drop in fatal crashes.
What and how much you drink is your decision. I am just pleading, that regardless of the allowable BAC, that no one drive after or while drinking. There are always options other than driving while intoxicated. Have a designated driver, call Uber or Lyft or a trusted friend to drive you home. Utah found that after lowering their BAC to 0.05, there was no negative impact on alcohol sales, tourism and tax revenues.
Again, I know how lucky I am to be alive! Maui residents and our youth deserve more than luck. They deserve better, data-driven alcohol policy. Each of us deserves to arrive alive. For more information, contact Public Health Education at (808) 984-8216 or kristin.mills@doh.hawaii.gov.