Young individuals who drive under the influence of alcohol have a higher relative risk of crash involvement; as such, the literature has extensively investigated the factors affecting such involvement through post-accident surveys. The effects of alcohol consumption on young driver behavior, however, have been largely unaddressed, mainly as a result of the difficulty in collecting the necessary data. We explore young driver behavior under the influence of alcohol using a driving simulator experiment where 40 participants were subjected to a common pre-defined dose of alcohol consumption. Comparing driver behavior before and after consumption allows for interesting insights and suggestions regarding policy interventions. As expected, the results indicate that increased reaction times before consuming alcohol strongly affect post-consumption reaction times, while increased BAC levels increase reaction times; a 10% increase in BAC levels results in a 2% increase in reaction time. Interestingly, individuals with faster alcohol consumption times perform better regardless of absolute BAC level, while recent meals lead to higher reaction times and exercising to lower.
| ID | pc116 |
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| Tags | alcohol, driver behaviour, driving simulator, statistical modelling, young drivers |
