New Jersey · Handbook chapter 6 · 4 min read

Chapter 6: Drinking, drugs and health

How alcohol affects New Jersey drivers, what decides BAC, the 0.08 and 0.01 limits, crash risk, the breath test refusal rule, signs of a drunk driver, good hosts and designated drivers, drugs and marijuana, vision and hearing.

Why this chapter matters

Every knowledge test asks about alcohol. New Jersey's limits are strict, especially for drivers under 21, and the manual gives clear figures about drinks, BAC and crash risk.

How alcohol affects driving

Alcohol is a drug. It makes drivers overconfident, slows thinking and reactions, and harms coordination, balance, vision and distance judgment. Even a small amount raises your crash risk, and after two to four drinks reaction time, coordination and balance are clearly worse.

Only time makes a person sober. The liver burns off about 90 percent of the alcohol; the other 10 percent leaves in breath, urine and sweat. That is why coffee, cold showers and other quick fixes do not work. Alcohol combined with anger is behind much reckless driving.

What counts as one drink

Each standard drink holds about half an ounce of alcohol:

• 12 ounces of beer,
• 5 ounces of wine,
• 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.

It is the number of drinks, not the type, that matters. Most people arrested for drunk driving had been drinking beer.

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC)

BAC is measured by a breath test. It depends on four things:

1. How much you drank.
2. Your body weight.
3. How quickly you drank.
4. What food you ate.

Food slows absorption but cannot stop heavy drinking from producing a high BAC.

Crash risk

Refusing a breath test

Refusing a breath test is illegal in New Jersey. Penalties include loss of driving privileges, referral to an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC), fines, an ignition interlock and a violation surcharge. Not paying the surcharge brings an indefinite suspension.

How police spot a drinking driver

• Speeding, because the driver thinks it is safe.
• Weaving, even within the lane.
• Driving too slowly, from being overly cautious.
• Jerky speed on a clear road.
• Quick, sudden stops at signs and lights.

Good hosts and designated drivers

Offer alcohol-free drinks and food, never push refills, and stop serving well before the party ends. Do not let a guest who has drunk too much drive: offer a nap or a bed for the night, and call the police as a last resort. Hosts can be sued if a guest crashes. New Jersey was the first state to launch the Hero Campaign for designated drivers.

Drugs and driving

It is illegal to drive under the influence of any drug, or while carrying a drug without a valid prescription. Read labels: a drug that "may cause drowsiness or dizziness" should not be taken before driving. Cold pills, tranquilizers and some prescription medicines can affect driving. Never mix alcohol with drugs. Police can ask to see proof of your prescription.

After alcohol, marijuana is the drug most often found in drivers involved in crashes. It affects:

• Tracking: keeping the car in its lane.
• Distance judgment, leading to following too closely.
• Vigilance: staying attentive.
• Divided attention: handling traffic, the road, passengers and gauges at once.

Healthy driving

• Even small problems such as a stiff neck can affect driving; if you feel unwell, let someone else drive.
• Have your eyes tested every year or two, and every year after 40. Good side (peripheral) vision and distance judgment matter.
• Keep the radio down and never wear earphones while driving, so you can hear horns and sirens.