THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON DECISION-MAKING WITH RESPECT TO TRAFFIC SIGNALS
Ellen M. Lewis, K Sarlanis · 1968
THIS REPORT DESCRIBES AN INVESTIGATION THAT COMPARED THE ABILITY OF SUBJECTS, WITH AND WITHOUT ALCOHOL, TO SELECT AND EXECUTE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO A CHANGING TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHT. IN EXPERIMENTAL SESSIONS INVOLVING THE USE OF ALCOHOL, EXAMINATION WAS MADE OF DRIVING PERFORMANCE AS A FUNCTION OF ASCENDING AND DESCENDING MODERATE BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS (B.A.L.). ANALYSIS OF THE ERROR RESPONSES SHOWED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT UNDER RISING B.A.L. UNDER DESCENDING B.A.L. A MARKED REDUCTION IN TOTAL ERRORS WAS EVIDENCED, ALTHOUGH IN BOTH SESSIONS IN WHICH ALCOHOL WAS USED MORE ERRORS OF JUDGMENT OCCURRED THAN IN NORMAL SESSIONS. IMPLICATIONS FOR DRIVING UNDER A MODERATE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL ARE DISCUSSED. /AUTHOR/