Low levels of alcohol impair driving simulator performance and reduce perception of crash risk in partially sleep deprived subjects

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dc.contributor.authorBanks, S.
dc.contributor.authorCatcheside, P.
dc.contributor.authorLack, L.
dc.contributor.authorGrunstein, R.
dc.contributor.authorMcEvoy, R.
dc.date.issued2004
dc.description.abstract<h4>Study objectives</h4>Partial sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption are a common combination, particularly among young drivers. We hypothesized that while low blood alcohol concentration (<0.05 g/dL) may not significantly increase crash risk, the combination of partial sleep deprivation and low blood alcohol concentration would cause significant performance impairment.<h4>Design</h4>Experimental<h4>Setting</h4>Sleep Disorders Unit Laboratory<h4>Patients or participants</h4>20 healthy volunteers (mean age 22.8 years; 9 men).<h4>Interventions</h4>Subjects underwent driving simulator testing at 1 am on 2 nights a week apart. On the night preceding simulator testing, subjects were partially sleep deprived (5 hours in bed). Alcohol consumption (2-3 standard alcohol drinks over 2 hours) was randomized to 1 of the 2 test nights, and blood alcohol concentrations were estimated using a calibrated Breathalyzer. During the driving task subjects were monitored continuously with electroencephalography for sleep episodes and were prompted every 4.5 minutes for answers to 2 perception scales-performance and crash risk.<h4>Measurements and results</h4>Mean blood alcohol concentration on the alcohol night was 0.035 +/- 0.015 g/dL. Compared with conditions during partial sleep deprivation alone, subjects had more microsleeps, impaired driving simulator performance, and poorer ability to predict crash risk in the combined partial sleep deprivation and alcohol condition. Women predicted crash risk more accurately than did men in the partial sleep deprivation condition, but neither men nor women predicted the risk accurately in the sleep deprivation plus alcohol condition.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Alcohol at legal blood alcohol concentrations appears to increase sleepiness and impair performance and the detection of crash risk following partial sleep deprivation. When partially sleep deprived, women appear to be either more perceptive of increased crash risk or more willing to admit to their driving limitations than are men. Alcohol eliminated this behavioral difference.
dc.identifier.citationSleep, 2004; 27(6):1063-1067
dc.identifier.doi10.1093/sleep/27.6.1063
dc.identifier.issn0161-8105
dc.identifier.issn1550-9109
dc.identifier.orcidCatcheside, P. [0000-0002-9372-6788]
dc.identifier.orcidMcEvoy, R. [0000-0002-5759-0094]
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2440/3157
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherAmer Academy Sleep Medicine
dc.source.urihttps://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/27.6.1063
dc.subjectHumans
dc.subjectPerceptual Disorders
dc.subjectSleep Deprivation
dc.subjectEthanol
dc.subjectElectroencephalography
dc.subjectAlcohol Drinking
dc.subjectAwareness
dc.subjectReaction Time
dc.subjectAccidents, Traffic
dc.subjectAutomobile Driving
dc.subjectAdult
dc.subjectFemale
dc.subjectMale
dc.titleLow levels of alcohol impair driving simulator performance and reduce perception of crash risk in partially sleep deprived subjects
dc.typeJournal article
pubs.publication-statusPublished

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