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BTEC APPLIED SCIENCE: UNIT 11 - Learning Aim A
- Institution
- PEARSON (PEARSON)
UNIT 11 - Learning Aim D distinction level.
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MATTTraffic Collison Investigation
Factors that can affect collision
Human: Age, gender, tiredness, concentration, vision, health, drugs, intoxication, skill.
Environment: Weather, road condition, lines of sight, other road users, distractions.
Vehicle: Road worthy, vehicle failure, appropriate vehicle, appropriate use of vehicle
Legal limits for alcohol in body fluids:
Breath, blood, or urine tests are used to determine the maximum amount of alcohol that a
person can have in their system while driving. For urine it is 107mg per 100ml of urine, for
blood it is 80mg per 100ml of blood and for breath it is 35mg per 100ml of breath. The reason
why people can't be above the limit is because drinking impairs focus, eyesight, and reaction
times, which makes it harder to control the car. Additionally, drinking increases the propensity
to take risks, which could make driving more hazardous. The reaction to alcohol depends on a
range of different variables like weight, age, sex, the type and quantity of alcohol consumed,
the most recent foods eaten, and the degree of stress at the moment. Being in charge of a
vehicle while above the legal limit or unfit through drink could result in 3 months’
imprisonment, up to £2,500 fine or a possible driving ban. Causing a death by careless driving
when under the influence of drink could result in a punishment of 14 years imprisonment, an
unlimited fine, a ban from driving for at least 2 years or an extended driving test before a
license is returned. A conviction for drink-driving also means that car insurance costs will
increase significantly.
Minimum drinking age laws have been shown to be effective in reducing underage drinking. A
study found that a higher minimum drinking age was associated with lower rates of alcohol-
related car crashes among young people. The study estimated that a 1% increase in the
minimum drinking age was associated with a 1.4% decrease in alcohol-related car crashes
among 15- to 17-year-olds. Drinking and driving laws have been shown to be effective in
reducing alcohol-related traffic deaths and injuries. A study found that areas with lower BAC
limits had fewer alcohol-related fatalities compared to areas with higher limits. For example,
areas that lowered their BAC limits from 0.10% to 0.08% experienced a 7% decrease in alcohol-
related deaths.
One way to improve the effectiveness of legal limits for alcohol and laws related to its
consumption is to strengthen enforcement. This can involve increasing resources for law
enforcement, implementing new technologies to improve detection and enforcement, and
targeting high-risk areas or populations. An increase in public awareness about the risks of
, alcohol consumption can also help improve the effectiveness of legal limits for alcohol. This can
involve using social media to reach specific populations and encourage behavior change.
Drug laws:
The risk of creating an accident is highest when driving while on drugs. Driving while under the
influence of drugs is extremely risky and can impair judgement of distance and speed as well as
reaction and coordination skills. It's illegal to drive if a person is unfit to do so because they are
on legal or illegal drugs even if the drugs are not affecting the driving. Legal drugs are
prescription or over-the-counter medicines. If convicted of drug driving, a person would get a
minimum of a 1-year driving ban, an unlimited fine, up to 6 months in prison, a criminal record.
The driving license will also show if a person has been convicted for drug driving, and this will
last for 11 years. A conviction for drug-driving also means that car insurance costs will increase
significantly.
(Gov.uk, 2019)
Given that the number of fatalities and injuries caused by drugged driving has remained
relatively constant over time, this regulation doesn't appear to be very successful. People may
not be aware of the risks associated with the drugs they are taking as a possible cause for this.
More outreach is required to raise public awareness of the amount of risk and danger that drug
use and driving pose since they raise the possibility of serious injury to oneself or others.
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drug-
impaired driving is a significant contributor to traffic deaths. In 2019, 44% of drivers who died in
crashes and were tested for drugs had drugs in their system.
One way that the effectiveness of these laws could be improved is that many drivers may not
be aware of the risks of drug-impaired driving or the specific drug driving laws so increasing
public education and awareness campaigns could help raise awareness of the dangers of drug-
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