One main objective of the DRUID project is to determine the concentration-dependent effects of psychoactive substances on driving behaviour with main emphasis on establishing concentration thresholds. For this objective, different methodologies are applied within the project, for example the epidemiological approach (prevalences, accident studies, risk functions) and the experimental approach (studies measuring performance). In order to combine the results from the different studies, a theoretical framework and an integration methodology are established (Deliverable 1.1.1). Within this framework, alcohol is used as a reference substance for the most relevant psychoactive substances in traffic. Regarding alcohol, numerous empirical results exist and the effects of different legal thresholds on driving safety are well understood. Therefore, in the case of alcohol it is possible to combine experimental and epidemiologic data and to determine the relation between behavioural impairment and accident risk. Deliverable 1.1.2 consists of three parts each dealing with different substance classes. The present part (D 1.1.2a) refers to the results of experimental alcohol studies. The report is based on the publication of Krüger, Kohnen, Diehl & Hüppe (1990), who reviewed the literature on the effects of low dosages of alcohol. However, the present focus of interest does not only lie on small concentrations of alcohol. The intention was to consider all experimental studies concerning the effects of alcohol on human behaviour and on subjective parameters like drowsiness, and to look more deeply at the performance tasks and their specifications. Furthermore, the material gathered for the meta-analysis was used to survey the methodological state of the art of alcohol research in order to draw conclusions for future investigations. (Author/publisher) This document is available at https://www.bast.de/Druid/EN/Home/home_node.html
Abstract