Just one drink can make you unfit to drive, say scientists
JUST one pint of beer or a large glass of wine could be too much to drive safely, new research has shown.
University of Sussex neuroscientists found drinking even relatively low amounts was enough to “significantly” affect our ability to function.
Lead author Dr Silvana De Pirro said: “Our study presents a compelling case that even one pint of beer is enough to significantly compromise a person’s sense of agency.
“This has important implications for legal and social responsibility of drivers, and begs the question: are current alcohol limits for driving truly safe?”
In England and Wales, the limit for drivers is 80 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 microgrammes per 100ml of breath or 107 milligrammes per 100ml of urine – usually equal to two pints of normalstrength beer or a large glass of average-strength wine. In Scotland, the limit is 50 milligrammes of alcohol per 100ml of blood and 22 microgrammes of alcohol per 100ml of breath.
Motoring organisations said message was now “None for the the road”. AA president Edmund King said: “The best advice is if you are going to drink, don’t drive, and if you are going to drive, don’t drink.”
Until now, research focused mainly on the loss of inhibitions produced by drunkenness, characterised by impulsivity, aggression and risky behaviour. This is the first study to test the effects of low amounts of alcohol on our sense of agency – which is the feeling of being in control of our actions.
Subjects drank a cocktail to produce concentrations within legal limits for driving in England andWales.
Results suggested small amounts lead to overconfidence in driving ability and inappropriate and potentially dangerous behaviour.
Professor Aldo Badiani, of the Sussex Addiction Research and Intervention Centre, said: “All the participants stayed within the legal alcohol limit for driving in England, Wales, the US and Canada. And yet we still saw an impairment in their feeling of being in control.
“In England, Wales and North America, the argument to lower the limit has much momentum.The results of our study support the implementation of such a change in the law.”