ALCOHOL

• Alcohol's Trip Through The Body
• Alcohol / % BAC / Body Reaction
• Alcohol Supply Order Form
• Effects of Alcohol Consumption
• Nebraska Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Law
• Statistics and Crash Data
• The Real Costs of a DUI - AAA
• Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor
• Young Drivers
• External Website Links
• Educational Resources
  • Fatal Vision® Goggles
  • Brochures and Posters

IGNITION INTERLOCK DEVICE - Equipment / Installation Information

• Nebraska Approved Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (B.A.I.I.D.)  Equipment

ALCOHOL'S TRIP THROUGH THE BODY

1.  Mouth and Esophagus: Alcohol is an irritant to the delicate linings of the throat and food
     pipe. It burns as it goes down.

2.  Stomach and Intestines: Alcohol has an irritating effect on the stomach’s protective
     lining, resulting in gastric or duodenal ulcers. This condition, if it becomes acute,
     can cause peritonitis or perforation of the stomach wall. In the small intestine,
     alcohol blocks absorption of such substances as thiamine, folic acid, fat,
     vitamin B₁, vitamin B₁₂, and amino acids.

3.  Bloodstream: Ninety-five (95) percent of the alcohol taken into the body is absorbed
     into the bloodstream through the lining of the stomach and duodenum. Once in the
     bloodstream, alcohol quickly goes to every cell and tissue in the body. Alcohol causes
     red blood cells to clump together in thick wads, slowing circulation, and depriving
     tissues of oxygen. It also causes anemia by reducing red blood cell production. Alcohol
     slows the ability of white cells to engulf and destroy bacteria and degenerates the
     clotting ability of blood platelets.

4.  Pancreas: Alcohol irritates the cells of the pancreas causing them to swell, thus blocking
     the flow of digestive enzymes. One out of five patients who develop this disease die during
     the first attack. Pancreatitis can destroy the pancreas and cause a lack of insulin, thus
     resulting in diabetes.

5.  Liver: Alcohol inflames the cells of the liver causing them to swell and block the tiny canal
     to the small intestines. This prevents the bile from being filtered properly through the liver.
     Jaundice develops turning the whites of the eyes and skin yellow. Each drink of alcohol
     increases the number of liver cells destroyed eventually causing cirrhosis of the liver.
     This disease is eight times more frequent among alcoholics than among non-alcoholics.

6.  Heart: Alcohol causes inflammation of the heart muscle. It has a toxic effect on the
     heart and causes increased amounts of fat to collect, thus disrupting its normal metabolism.

7.  Urinary Bladder and Kidneys: Alcohol inflames the lining of the urinary bladder making
     it unable to stretch properly. In the kidneys, alcohol causes increased loss of fluids
     through its irritating effect.

8.  Sex Glands: Swelling of the prostrate gland caused by alcohol interferes with the ability
     of the male to perform sexually.

9.  Brain: The most dramatic and noticed effect of alcohol is on the brain. It depresses
     brain centers progressively producing in-coordination, confusion, disorientation, stupor,
     anesthesia, coma, and death. Alcohol kills brain cells and brain damage is permanent.
     Drinking over a period of time causes loss of memory, judgment, and learning ability.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top of Page

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Information in this table shows the BAC level at which the effect usually is first observed, and has been gathered from a variety of sources including the National Highway Safety Administration, National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism, American Medical Association, American Automobile Association, National Commission Against Drunk Driving, and www.webMD.com.

Top of Page

 STATISTICS AND CRASH DATA

According to  Traffic Safety Fact 2010 Data Alcohol-Impaired Driving - NHTSA,

• Of the 10,228 people who died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2010, 6,627 (65%) were drivers with a BAC of .08 or higher.  The remaining fatalities consisted of 2,872 (28%) motor vehicle occupants and 729 (7%) nonoccupants.

• These fatalities represent an average of one alcohol-impaired driving fatality every 51 minutes.

• The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes was four times higher at night than during the day (37% versus 9%).

• Of all drivers involved in fatal crashes during the week 16% were alcohol-impaired compared to 31% on weekends.

• The most frequent recorded BAC level among drinking drivers in fatal crashes was .18.

• In 2010, 6,652 (58%) of the drivers involved in fatal crashes who had been drinking had a BAC of .15 or greater.

• Of the 1,210 children age 14 and younger killed in motor vehicle crashes, 211 or 17% occurred in alcohol-impaired crashes.

• Out of those 211 deaths, 131 or 62% of these children killed were riding in vehicles where the driver had a BAC of .08 or higher.
   

NEBRASKA CRASH DATA