Influence of alcohol on young drivers’ performance: a driving simulator study

Alcohol abuse influences different parts of society and social aspects, including road safety. Approximately 25% of road fatalities in Europe are attributed to alcohol, while only around 1% of the total kilometers driven in Europe involve drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.5‰ or higher. Alcohol affects people in different ways; e.g., it blurs vision, slows down reactions and affects a person’s stability, and it can all significantly affect driving performance. This study investigated how different amounts of alcohol in the blood affect driving characteristics. For this purpose, goggles that simulate different amounts of alcohol in the blood and a driving simulator were used. A total of 62 participants aged 18-30 were divided into three groups (NA – drivers with glasses 0.4 to 0.6‰, NB – 0.6 to 0.8‰ and NC – sober drivers, respectively) took part in the experiment, and the fundamental observed indicators were speed and lateral position of the vehicle. The highest average speed was observed in the NA group, while the smallest oscillations in the lateral position were observed in the NC group. The main disadvantage is that the “alcohol intoxication goggles” only simulate the impact on the driver’s vision. However, the driving simulator is a precious tool in these experiments. In future research, more participants, as well as age groups, should be included in order to obtain a deeper understanding of the connection between alcohol abuse and road safety.