THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL ON THE PERCEPTION OF TRAFFIC SITUATIONS. AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

DER EINFLUSS DES ALKOHOLS AUF DAS WAHRNEHMEN VON VERKEHRSSITUATIONEN. EINE EXPERIMENTELLE UNTERSUCHUNG

An experimental group (N = 50) and a control group (N = 55) watched a film taken from the driver's viewpoint which contained common potentially dangerous situations. The eye movements of the test subjects were taken as representative of attention paid, and indicated by means of recording apparatus (television eye-marker). The effect of alcohol on the process of perception is shown as a natural disturbance of the perception and seeking effort, and takes the form of a restriction of perception (tunnel effect) or the overlooking of certain traffic features which escape the attention of the subject either because they are part of a complex situation or because they are stationary objects. The testing of the "alcohol nystagmus" together with blood sampling and breath test as a means of diagnosing the effect of the alcohol was shown to be an objective measure of actual conditions under the influence of alcohol, and is thus a suitable criterion for testing driving ability. This is particularly significant, since the test subjects, given the same quantity of alcohol, had different blood-alcohol levels, but without exception had a nystagmus from 0.8 promille upwards. /TRRL/

• Authors:
  • Buikhuisen, W
  • Jongman, R W
• Publication Date: 1971

Language

• German

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 101 p.
• Serial:
  • Faktor Mensch im Verkehr
  • Issue Number: 8

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol breath tests; Alcohols; Alertness; Aptitude; Blood alcohol levels; Cinematography; Drivers; Driving; Drunk driving; Equipment; Eye movements; Intoxication; Perception; Recording instruments; Tests; Vision; Visual perception
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driving conditions
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver perception; Driver vision; Recorders
• ITRD Terms: 7347: Alcohol; 6155: Apparatus (measuring); 2238: Attention; 1553: Blood alcohol content; 6752: Cinematography; 2226: Driving aptitude; 2231: Drunkenness; 2057: Eye movement; 2229: Perception; 6255: Test; 2066: Vision
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00097691
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Institute of Road Research, Germany
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1975 12:00AM