title: Alcohol and distraction interact to impair driving performance.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recognition of the risks associated with alcohol intoxication and driver distraction has led to a wealth of simulated driving research aimed at studying the adverse effects of each of these factors. Research on driving has moved beyond the individual, separate examination of these factors to the examination of potential interactions between alcohol intoxication and driver distraction. In many driving situations, distractions are commonplace and might have little or no disruptive influence on primary driving functions. Yet, such distractions might become disruptive to a driver who is intoxicated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study examined the interactive impairing effects of alcohol intoxication and driver distraction on simulated driving performance in 40 young adult drivers using a divided attention task as a distracter activity. The interactive influence of alcohol and distraction was tested by having drivers perform the driving task under four different conditions: 0.65 g/kg alcohol; 0.65 g/kg alcohol+divided attention; placebo; and placebo+divided attention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As hypothesized, divided attention had no impairing effect on driving performance in sober drivers. However, under alcohol, divided attention exacerbated the impairing effects of alcohol on driving precision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol and distraction continue to be appropriate targets for research into ways to reduce the rates of driving-related fatalities and injuries. Greater consideration of how alcohol and distraction interact to impair aspects of driving performance can further efforts to create prevention and intervention measures to protect drivers, particularly young adults.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06519, USA.
authors.forename: Emily L R
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Fillmore
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D011897:Random Allocation; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D010919:Placebos; D000431:Ethanol