Florida Motorcycle Handbook 2009

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3. Being in Shape to Ride

• 3.1. Why Information is Important
• 3.2. Alcohol and Other Drugs in Motorcycle Operation
• 3.3. Alcohol in the Body
• 3.4. Alcohol and the Law
• 3.5. Minimize the Risks
• 3.6. Step in to Protect Friends
• 3.7. Fatigue

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ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS IN MOTORCYCLE OPERATION

No one is immune to the effects of alcohol or drugs. Friends may brag about their ability to hold their liquor or perform better on drugs, but alcohol or drugs make them less able to think clearly and perform physical tasks skillfully. Judgment and the decision-making processes needed for vehicle operation are affected long before legal limitations are reached. Many over-the-counter, prescription and illegal drugs have side effects that increase the risk for riders. It is difficult to accurately measure the involvement of particular drugs in motorcycle crashes. But we do know what effects various drugs have on the process involved in riding a motorcycle. We also know that the combined effects of alcohol and other drugs are more dangerous than either is alone.

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