Alcohol effects — Kentucky Permit Test

Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of all traffic crashes in which someone is killed each year.

Four in ten fatal crashes. That is the size of the problem the drink-driving law exists for.

Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of all traffic crashes in which someone is killed each year.

Alcohol reduces judgment, which is the brain activity that stores experience and knowledge so it can be used quickly on a new problem.

Driving is one new problem after another, and judgment is what a driver solves them with.

Alcohol and other impairing drugs reduce your: • Judgment: Judgment is a brain-centered activity that stores all your experiences and knowledge so it can be used quickly when you face a new problem.

Vision is impacted at 0.02 blood alcohol content for all drivers, and vision is the most important sense used in driving.

The eyes go first, well below the legal limit, and eyesight is the sense driving depends on most.

Vision is impacted at 0.02 blood alcohol content (BAC) for all drivers.

Alcohol blurs vision, slows the ability to focus, causes double vision and reduces the ability to judge distance, speed and the movement of other vehicles.

Every one of those is something a driver needs to change lanes safely.

Blurs your vision, slows your ability to focus, causes double vision, and reduces the ability to judge distance, speed, and the movement of other vehicles.

Alcohol reduces a driver's ability to distinguish colors.

Signals and signs are sorted by color, so losing the distinction takes information away.

Color distinction: Reduces your ability to distinguish colors.

Alcohol slows reaction time, the ability to process information and respond to the driving task.

A slower reaction turns a near miss into a crash without the driver ever noticing they were late.

Reaction time: Slows your ability to process information and respond to the driving task.

Impairment starts with the first drink, and even one drink of alcohol can affect a person's ability to drive.

There is no safe first drink. The effect begins immediately, whatever the driver feels.

Impairment starts with the first drink.

What share of fatal traffic crashes involve alcohol or other impairing drugs?

Approximately 40%. Four in ten fatal crashes. That is the size of the problem the drink-driving law exists for. Kentucky Driver Manual, p.25: “Alcohol and other impairing drugs are involved in approximately 40% of all traffic crashes in which someone is killed each year.”