I’m Fine… I Can Drive

Have you ever heard someone say they can drive after having a few drinks or have you even said this yourself? Nobody wants to be lectured on drinking and driving but people still make the choice to do it. We also have to worry about people driving under the influence of narcotics.

  • An estimated 32% of fatal car crashes involve an intoxicated driver or pedestrian. (NHTSA)
  • 3,952 fatally injured drivers tested positive for drug involvement. (FARS)
  • Over 1.2 million drivers were arrested in 2011 for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. (FBI)

Just How Bad It Can Be

Drugs

  • Adverse effects to a person’s judgment, reaction time, motor skills, and memory.
  • Misused prescription drugs, over the counter drugs and illegal drugs pose serious danger to yourself and public safety.
  • Marijuana is the second most commonly used drug associated with drinking and drugged driving after alcohol.
  • THC, the high producing element in marijuana, affects areas of the brain that control body movements, balance, coordination, memory and judgment.

Alcohol

  • Adverse effects to a person’s judgment, reaction time, motor skills, and memory.
  • Alcohol slows down the functions of the central nervous system and is known as a depressant.
  • Alcohol delays brain functioning and affects a person’s information-processing skills (cognitive skills) and hand-eye coordination, (psychomotor skills).
  • Consuming alcohol prior to driving greatly increases the risk of car accidents, highway injuries and vehicular deaths.

Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace

  • Workers with alcohol problems were 2.7 times more likely than workers without drinking problems to have injury-related absences.
  • Workers who report having three or more jobs in the previous five years are about twice as likely to be current or past year users of illegal drugs as those who have had two or fewer jobs.
  • 70% of the estimated 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs are employed.

Effects of Alcohol and Drug Use in the Workplace

  • A decrease in staff morale.
  • Damage to workplace equipment.
  • Increased sickness-related absenteeism.
  • A decrease in productivity.
  • Mistakes, accidents and injuries.
  • A deterioration in workplace relationships.
  • Lateness and lost time.
  • Defensive attitude concerning the object of addiction.

What You Can Do

It can be very difficult to get someone to stop making choices that can hurt or even kill themselves or others. Here are a few preventative tips that employers can implement right away:

  • Create a zero tolerance drug and alcohol policy that is clearly defined and communicated to every employee.
  • Conduct regular drug and alcohol screenings.
  • Develop a joint drug and alcohol abuse prevention initiatives.
  • Raise awareness about the risks of use and provide local options for help.

Seek professional advice! Visit the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence for more information.