The part played by alcohol in traffic accidents is examined, and the literature as it relates to the effect of alcohol on driving skills reviewed. Consideration is given to the part engineers can play in the reduction of alcohol involved accidents. Good research examining the effect of alcohol on the whole driving task is rare. Generally only part functions such as reaction time or neuro-muscular control are considered. Many then assume that a driver's reaction in traffic is just the sum of these part functions. This seems to over-simplify the situation. New Zealand accident statistics show that drivers who were affected by alcohol were also more likely than non-affected drivers to be travelling too fast for the conditions, failing to keep left, or drowsy and tired. They were however less likely to fail to give way. Alcohol adversely influences risk-taking behaviour, concentration, tracking ability, reaction time, visual acuity, and field of view. Its importance in traffic accidents may be generally underestimated because of the absence of studies taking into consideration the effects of hangovers.
Abstract