SE

ey cauTion| .
HOLIDAY “ie

Why must we realize afresh the

awful, responsibility for life or death : j
we assume behind the wheel of a reverence and family gaiety that

athe age THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER ) 5

Thou Shalt Not Kill

Why must we remind ourselves killed and wounded more people
of the Sixth Commandment as we each day on the highways in 1963
celebrate the birthday of Him who _ than on any day of battle in World
most opposed violence? War Two?

Why must we have driven home
to us at this time of religious

‘ car? Christmas Eve is the year’s most

ay dangerous day—that December has

4 as f = Why must we who oppose war, __ proved itself to be the year’s dead-
‘ a need to re-appraise the fact that we liest month? ~

~ Our Moral Responsibility

; Yes, COLLECTIVELY, we allow this
tragic toll in the midst of joyous celebra-
> tion. |

‘ Yes, INDIVIDUALLY we are respon-
', sible.

Yes, INDIVIDUALLY we can do
something about it this year:
® We can, each time we get behind
the wheel, know that this can be a
murder weapon.
® We can say “no’ to a drink BE-
FORE we drive.
® We can drive slower than the
posted limits if weather and traffic
indicate.
®@ We can stop riding on the tail of
the driver ahead.
We can be courteous and patient.
We can leave arguments out of
the car and reserve them for the
job or home.
@ We can leave early for any desti-
nation.

® We can be sure our vehicles are in
perfect mechanical shape.

@ We can take the time to clean off
our car windows.

1—F WE CAN’T DO ALL THESE THINGS,

WE CAN TAKE A TAXI!
Driving Tips
; Do you know that if you are driving

while it is snowing at night you can avoid
that “funnelling™ effect by travelling
with your dome lights on?

7 Do you know that you can avoid the
* plindness of night eyestrain by blinking
* on your dome light for a few seconds. It’s
the same relief you get from putting on
q small light on in the room when you

: watch T.V.

What Are ‘Blood Alcohol Levels?”’

Indulgence in alcoholic beverages does not manifest itself in measur-
able behavioral changes until the alcohol is absorbed into the blood
stream and carried to the brain. The degree of impairment is gen-
erally proportional to the amount of alcohol in the blood. Approx-

imately |0cc of blood withdrawn from a suspected driver provides

a sample which is adequate for measurement by a technician. The

result of the blood test is ordinarily expressed as a percentage of
the volume measured.

The following typical conditions are seen in drinking drivers at vari-
ous blood alcohol levels:

I. .00 to .05 per cent—In most states, a person with a blood alco-
hol level at .05 per cent or under is legally sober. Behavior
changes in this range are usually detectable only by carefully
administered, scientific tests. Two ounces of hard liquor or two
beers will raise the blood alcohol level of a medium sized adult to
about .05 per cent. It is interesting to note that substantial per-
sonality changes can sometimes be observed in persons unaccus-

tomed to alcohol after only two drinks.

. .05 to .10 per cent—A person may be impaired, but is not
usually prosecuted.

. .10 to .20 per cent—The subject in this range is definitely in-
competent as a driver according to an overwhelming and almost
unanimous majority of experts who have seriously studied the
problem. A drinker begins to lose his acquired cultural veneer
and often acts foolishly. When asked a question or told to do
something, he will be slow in responding. A slight swaying while
standing will often be noted by a careful witness. For practical
reasons (usually because conviction is more difficult), many state
prosecuting attorneys will not issue a complaint unless the blood
test results are .15 per cent or higher. Exceptions are those
few states which have—by statute—established lower presump-
tive levels of intoxication. There is, however, a new and encour-
aging trend toward prosecution at levels slightly below .15 per
cent in many jurisdictions.

. .20 to .30 per cent—Most drinking drivers arrested by the police
are within this range of intoxication. A gross loss of coordina-
tion and reasoning ability will nearly always be observed. The
suspects will stagger or shuffle while walking, and they cannot
adequately perform simple balance tests. Speech is often slurred
and difficult to follow, if not incoherent.

. .30 per cent and above—Subjects above .30 per cent usually
can hardly walk, much less drive. There is a marked lack of re-
sponsiveness to oral directions or even pain. Control of body

function is occasionally absent.

40 per cent and above—Unconsciousness and possible death
approach when the blood alcohol level exceeds .40 per cent. ©