title: Effects of alcohol on risk-taking during simulated driving.
abstract: The effect of alcohol on judgement or conscious risk-taking may increase the likelihood of an automobile accident. This study examined the direct effects of penalty severity and alcohol on risk-taking in a novel simulated-driving lane-choice task. Thirteen male social drinkers received alcohol (0.3 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg, 0.8 g/kg) or placebo during each of four test sessions in a randomized, within subject design. In repeated trials, subjects selected, then drove through a cone-defined lane. Contingent upon performance, points were added (+ 5 for the narrower lane, + 3 for the wider lane) and taken away (- 1, - 3, or - 5 points per hit cone) after each trial. Risk-taking was defined as a selection of the narrower-width lane. The frequency of risk-taking decreased as the penalty increased. The 0.5 g/kg dose, compared to other alcohol doses or placebo, significantly increased risk-taking in the high-risk (5-point penalty) condition. This finding suggests that breath alcohol concentrations within current legal standards can alter a driver's decision-making such that the willingness to enter a high-risk situation is increased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
authors.forename: Scott E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Burian
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liguori
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001944:Breath Tests; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking