Distraction produces over-additive increases in the degree to which alcohol impairs driving performance.
BACKGROUND
Research indicates that alcohol intoxication and increased demands on drivers' attention from distractions (e.g., passengers and cell phones) contribute to poor driving performance and increased rates of traffic accidents and fatalities.


OBJECTIVE
The present study examined the separate and combined effects of alcohol and distraction on simulated driving performance at blood alcohol concentrations (BrACs) below the legal driving limit in the USA (i.e., 0.08 %).


METHODS
Fifty healthy adult drivers (36 men and 14 women) were tested in a driving simulator following a 0.65-g/kg dose of alcohol and a placebo. Drivers completed two drive tests: a distracted drive, which included a two-choice detection task, and an undistracted control drive. Multiple indicators of driving performance, such as drive speed, within-lane deviation, steering rate, and lane exceedances were measured.


RESULTS
Alcohol and distraction each impaired measures of driving performance. Moreover, the magnitude of alcohol impairment was increased by at least twofold when tested under the distracting versus the undistracted condition.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings highlight the need for a clearer understanding of how common distractions impact intoxicated drivers, especially at BrACs that are currently legal for driving in the USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 171 Funkhouser Dr., Lexington, KY, 40506-0044, USA.
Nicholas A
NA
Van Dyke
Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, 171 Funkhouser Dr., Lexington, KY, 40506-0044, USA. fillmore@uky.edu.
Mark T
MT
Fillmore
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology*; D040421:Cell Phone; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003198:Computer Simulation; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D000431:Ethanol
Alcohol; BrAC; Distraction; Simulated driving; Subjective intoxication; Traffic safety