Back On Track Education Exercise
Shortly, I will be attending the education portion of the Back On Track program in Ontario. After a participant in Ontario’s “Remedial Program” attend the assessment portion, if they are assessed as only requiring education, they are provided a workbook and homework is assigned.
The first bit of homework (other than keeping a log book of daily alcohol consumption) is a true and false exercise. I found all of the questions to be simple to answer.
1. Exercising will help to sweat off alcohol. True or False
False. While a very small amount of alcohol may be expelled through sweat, the majority of alcohol (over 90%) needs to be broken down by the liver. This process takes time – and an individual consumes alcohol faster than the rate it can be broken down.
2. A bottle of beer is just as intoxicating as a drink with one shot of liquor. True or False
True. A standard shot of liquor that is 40% alcohol is 1.5 oz. A standard bottle of beer which contains 5% alcohol is 12 oz. Each one contains about the same total amount of alcohol.
3. The relaxing effect of alcohol can often improve your driving. True or False.
False. Alcohol begins to affect your fine motor control in your brain within minutes of being consumed and can affect reflexes negatively.
4. The best way to sober up before driving is to take a short nap. True or False.
False. While a nap may help pass some of the time it takes for your liver to process the alcohol, it will not speed up the process.
5. Coffee or a cold shower will sober you up. True or False.
False. Neither will speed up the rate your liver processes alcohol.
6. Alcohol is a stimulant or “upper.” True or False.
False. Alcohol is actually a depressant.
7. I can be charged with impaired driving only if I register over 0.08% on a breathalyser. True or False.
False. You can be charged with impaired driving simply because your driving is impaired by any amount of alcohol or drugs. You can only be charged (in Canada) with operating a vehicle with a BAC of over 0.08 if you register over 0.08 on a breathalyser. “Impaired Driving” and “Over 80″ are two different criminal charges in Canada.
8. My own drinking is my own business and nobody else’s. True or False.
False, at least in my case. My drinking is also the business of my loved ones and those who love me.
9. I will be okay to drive if I drink a beer an hour. True or False.
False. Although this is a rule of thumb that many use, it actually takes on average, 2 hours for the liver to process and breakdown alcohol contained in one standard drink. As well, it is difficult to always know the exact rate of metabolism of alcohol due to a wide variety of factors.
10. I am solely responsible for my drinking. True or False.
True. No one else is pouring it down my throat.
11. I can predict and control the amount I drink. True or False
My response to this is True. There are a number of ways I can predict and control the amount I drink.
12. All impaired driving charges are preventable. True or False.
True. Through planning ahead and being responsible, all impaired charges can be prevented.
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Hi there, I just found out your website today. I have just been charged with impaired driving in Ontario 2 days ago. It is the most frustrating and desolate experience of my life. Reading your site has help me greatly. Please keep the updates coming and hope both you and me can get through this in one piece.
Best
Thanks for your comment. I am glad that you’ve found my posts helpful. I do know how you are feeling – the feelings of frustration and desolation – and probably some humiliation as well.
It has now been five months for me – and it’s not easy. Things will continue to be tough, but you will get through it. We both will.
Hello There,
I have also been charged with DUI and took advantage of the interlock program no one seems to have any information on what happens next. I have actually read your posts fully even though I hate reading. This information had definitely been helpful. I started my suspension 4 days ago 96 more days to go till I can legally drive with an interlock system.
Not looking forward at all. Would you be able to give a rough figure of how much this whole thing is going to be costing you?
qtbling,
Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure what jurisdiction you are in, so I can’t assist you much in regard to “what happens next.” Were you charged 4 days ago?
As far as costs: I thought I had written a post on this but in a nutshell:
Fine: 1300.00
Restitution: 500.00 (the deductible on the other person’s property)
Legal Fees (lawyer): 2800.00
Back On Track Program: 600.00
Lost Time: Priceless
Vehicle: Owe about 12,000.00 on it. It was written off. I’ve received an estimate of about 8,000.00 to repair it which I cannot afford at this time, but still making payments on it.
Hello and thank you for your website – it has been a light at the end of a very dark tunnel since I was charged with DUI in Ontario – just about the time you started your web site – in June 2010. I went to court in July, was sentenced on August 12th to $1,000 and 3 months (ending November 12 with the Interlock option) and I think I should have applied to the Back On Track right after my conviction date? Do I have to attend all the BOT coursework before I can apply for my license reinstatement? If I have to do the full course do you have an idea how long that takes? I live way out in the country on a concession road with only taxis ($) and a once a day bus to any sizable town … so … maybe I should move temporarily to a bigger city (with family) for the course duration? Thank you again for your website and writing.
Chris, thank you for your comment. I appreciate it very much and I’m glad that this website has been of some help to you.
Yes, you should apply for the Back On Track program and pay for it immediately! In order to have your license reinstated under the new system, you need to have applied to the program, and I believe at the least, have your “assessment” completed. You do not have to have all the course work completed before you apply.
However, you do need to have paid all fines and any restitution the Court ordered you to pay.
When you visit a Back On Track provider for your assessment, (once you pay for the program and register, you will be sent a brochure in the mail listing all the offices – they are also published here on my site – you select the one closest to you) you will be advised immediately on completion of the assessment (at the end of the appointment) whether you are required to attend two full days of treatment and one full day of education, or just the one full day of education.
I can’t say for all the Back On Track facilitators, but the education course I attended was held on a Saturday.
So considering it’s a maximum of three days if you are required to attend both treatment and education, you likely shouldn’t need to move anywhere, even temporarily.
Hope this helps, and if anything is not clear to you, please respond with any questions you have.
Thanks!
Hello and thanks for taking the time you put into this. I had a car accident two years ago just like you did. I drove into a ditch and wrote off my 400$ Chrysler new yorker. I had a passenger with me who sustained a concussion but i was not given a charge for it. I was charged with Impaired, over .8mg and g2 class license holder. I was lucky and given the minimum fine of $1000 where the crown asked for an elevated fine and i was only convicted of impaired. It’s been 2 years and a few months and just now i am registering for the Back on Track program. I feel relieved to know that the program is a maximum of three days at the centre and the 6 month follow up. Do you have an ideas about Car insurance for people like us?
Back on track to me is a cash grab along with the system I was charged with DUI and with a t-bone crash someone had pulled over to the right with a signal, stopped, then cut across my line to drive into a parking spot When the police came i blew a warnning after being honest on the amount i had to drink 2 beers and a shot within 2 1/2hrs
At the “police trailer” i blew into another machine which had a sticker saying : calibration date due oct 6 2005 It was june 3rd 2006 to which i was told it was done ( that person didn;t know anything about how to do it ) and yup the machine said i was no longer :Warning: i was over 0.08 no lawyer $800fine 1 year susp, $200+ reinstatment fee then after i paid the fee i was told i have to do the “back on track” $581
If i made 50k+ a year this whole thing would be a joke If feeding 3 kids and paying for a house with a job depending on driving for a living it hits the poor guy twice its been 6 years and im just able now to afford it ….still have no clue about inter locking car thing