Title: Comparison of driving performance during the blood alcohol concentration ascending period and descending period under alcohol influence in a driving simulator

Authors: Huiqin Chen; Guanjun Zhang; Renjie Chen; Lei Chen; Xiexing Feng

Addresses: Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China ' State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China ' Troops 73307 of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Fuzhou, Fujian, China ' Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China ' State Key Laboratory of Advanced Design and Manufacturing for Vehicle Body, Hunan University, Changsha, Hunan, China

Abstract: The objective of this research was to study the performance of young novice male drivers in a driving simulator after they were administered different doses of alcohol (placebo: 0 g/kg; medium dose: 0.75 g/kg; high dose: 1 g/kg) during the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ascending and descending periods. The high dose of alcohol produced an average peak BAC of 74±5.477 mg/100 ml at 30 min after administration, and the medium dose produced an average peak BAC of 47.714±17.68 mg/100 ml at 10 min after administration. Compared with the placebo, the drivers' performance under the high dose of alcohol was characterised by more abrupt steering manoeuvres, a greater average speed, and a greater offset from the lane centre. The drivers were more timid under the medium dose administration. The study on driver behaviour plays an important role on constructing the early warning model, so as to put forward the corresponding intervention measures of unsafe driving behaviour and improve vehicle safety in reducing accidents due to drinking and/or drunk driving on public roads.

Keywords: driving performance; blood alcohol concentration; ascending period; descending period; driving simulators; early warning models; simulation; modelling; young drivers; male drivers; novice drivers; steering manoeuvres; average speed; lane centre offset; timidity; unsafe driver behaviour; vehicle safety; drunk driving.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVS.2016.077154

International Journal of Vehicle Safety, 2016 Vol.9 No.1, pp.72 - 84

Received: 26 Mar 2016
Accepted: 19 Apr 2016

Published online: 21 Jun 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article