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Skills performance at low blood alcohol levels
Journal of Studies on Alcohol
|November 1, 1985
Summary
Even low blood alcohol levels (BALs) impair driving skills. Performance on attention and information processing tasks worsened with increasing BALs, debunking claims of improvement at low levels.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Traffic Safety
Background:
- Some suggest low blood alcohol levels (BALs) may enhance driving performance.
- However, empirical evidence is often lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the impact of low BALs on driving-related skills.
- To determine if performance is impaired or improved at very low BALs.
Main Methods:
- Ten moderate drinkers participated in the study.
- Participants were tested on divided-attention and information processing tasks.
- Testing occurred at BALs of 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg/dl.
Main Results:
- Impairment in driving skills was observed starting at a BAL of 15 mg/dl.
- Performance decrements increased progressively with higher BALs.
- No BALs, even low ones, demonstrated performance enhancement.
Conclusions:
- Low blood alcohol levels demonstrably impair critical driving skills.
- The findings contradict suggestions that low BALs might improve performance.
- These results underscore the risks associated with any alcohol consumption before driving.