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Title: ALCOHOL AND MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS
Accession Number: 00223303
Record Type: Component
Abstract: ALTHOUGH BEVERAGE ALCOHOL APPEARS TO GIVE SUBJECTIVE STIMULANT ACTION TO A PERSON, ITS REAL EFFECT IS A DEPRESSANT ACTION ON MOST OF THE FUNCTIONS OF BODY AND MIND. THE ALCOHOL EFFECT WHICH INTERFERES WITH DRIVING ABILITY IS FOURFOLD: (1) A POORER GRADE OF ATTENTION TO EXTERNAL SIGNALS AND ENVIRONMENT; (2) SLOWER RESPONSES OF EYES, HANDS AND FEET; (3) LESS DEPENDABLE, THAT IS MORE VARIABLE, MUSCULAR RESPONSES; (4) INCREASED SELF ASSURANCE WHICH PROMPTS TO THE ASSUMPTION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY AND WILLINGNESS TO TAKE A CHANCE. ALTHOUGH ALCOHOL IS DIRECTLY MENTIONED IN ONLY 7 TO 10 PER CENT OF FATAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS, IT IS THE BELIEF OF INFORMED TRAFFIC OFFICIALS THAT ONE-THIRD OF SUCH ACCIDENTS ARE AT LEAST PARTLY CHARGEABLE TO USE OF ALCOHOL BY THE DRIVER. OFFICIALS NEED A METHOD TO DEFINITELY DETERMINE WHETHER A DRIVER IS INTOXICATED AS A BASIS FOR COURT ACTION. DETERMINATION OF PERCENTAGE OF ALCOHOL IN THE BLOOD OR URINE BY BIOCHEMICAL MEANS IS A FEASIBLE UNDERTAKING. /AUTHOR/
Supplemental Notes: Vol 13, ParT I, PP 362 - 381, 62 REF; part of Report of Committee on Highway Traffic. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Monograph Accession #: 01490412
Authors: Miles, W RMatthews, W WMoyer, R AMarsh, B WEditors: Crum, Roy WPublication Date: 1934
Serial:
Highway Research Board Proceedings
Volume: 13 Media Type: Digital/other
TRT Terms: Uncontrolled Terms: Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors
Files: TRIS, TRB
Created Date: Aug 23 1971 12:00AM
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