EFFECTS OF SMALL DOSES OF ALCOHOL ON DRIVER PERFORMANCE IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
EFFEKTER AV SMAA ALKOHOLDOSER PA FOERARPRESTATIONER KRITISKA SITUATIONER
The effect on driver performance of blood alcohol concentrations below 50 mg% were studied in 1. A critical car driving situation involving emergency braking and evasive manoeuvres, 2. In a situation that followed upon the first one and that was a complete surprise to the 26 subjects. The latter situation was the sudden detection of A manshaped obstacle blocking the road-way. The results clearly show the detrimental effects of alcohol at a total bac-average of 42 mg%. This was demonstrated by the fact that significantly more pylons were hit by the drivers when under the influence of alcohol and also by the fact that they had significantly longer stopping distances. There was also a strong tendency for alcohol to impair performance in the surprise situation. Five drivers out of ten collided with the obstacle in the alcohol condition whereas this was the case for only one driver out of ten in the control condition. /TRRL/
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Corporate Authors:
Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
Linköping, Sweden SE-581 95 -
Authors:
- Laurell, H
- Publication Date: 0
Language
- Swedish
Media Info
- Features: Figures; Photos; References;
- Pagination: 23 p.
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Alcohols; Blood alcohol levels; Driver performance; Drivers; Driving; Drunk driving; Emergencies; Hazards; Motor skills; Navigational obstructions; Personnel performance; Reaction time; Stopping distances
- Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
- ITRD Terms: 7347: Alcohol; 1553: Blood alcohol content; 1855: Driving (veh); 2184: Emergency; 2205: Skill (road user)
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00133683
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
- Report/Paper Numbers: No. 68
- Files: ITRD, TRIS
- Created Date: Jun 23 1976 12:00AM