The impact of alcohol on driving extends to multiple areas of cognitive and motor functioning, significantly increasing the risk of traffic accidents.
Alcohol affects the human body with profound impacts on multiple organic systems, resulting in negative consequences for health and the ability to safely operate vehicles.
Detailing how alcohol affects driving ability involves exploring how it specifically compromises the skills necessary for safe driving.
Effects of Alcohol on the Human Body
Nervous System and Brain: Alcohol interferes with brain communication pathways, affecting mood, behavior, and hindering clear thinking and motor coordination. This can lead to changes in vision, loss of muscle coordination, tremors, and hallucinations. Decreased alertness and delayed reflexes are especially critical for driving.
Decreased Reaction Time: One of the most direct effects of alcohol is the reduction in reaction time. This slowdown affects the driver’s ability to respond quickly to unexpected changes in road conditions, such as sudden appearance of pedestrians, vehicles braking abruptly, or changes in traffic signals. In practical terms, if a sober person’s normal reaction time is about 1 second, under the influence of alcohol it may increase to around 1.1 to 1.3 seconds or more. This delay may not seem significant, but in high-speed driving situations or adverse conditions, it can be the difference between avoiding an accident and being involved in one.
Compromised Judgment and Inhibition: Alcohol decreases the brain’s executive function, negatively affecting judgment and increasing risk-taking. Drivers under the influence may make dangerous decisions, such as exceeding speed limits, ignoring traffic signals, or performing risky maneuvers.
Impaired Attention and Concentration: The ability to maintain attention on multiple tasks simultaneously — crucial in driving — is compromised. This can lead to not noticing important signs or changes in the environment, increasing the risk of collisions.
Reduced Motor Coordination: Fine motor control is negatively affected by alcohol, hindering the ability to make precise adjustments in steering or pedal control. This is crucial when quick evasive maneuvers are required to avoid a crash.
Affected Vision: Alcohol can alter night vision and reduce contrast sensitivity, making it harder to see pedestrians, vehicles, and other objects in low-light conditions. It can also cause double or blurred vision, compromising the ability to judge distances and speeds correctly.
Associated Risks
Increased Probability of Traffic Accidents: The combined effects of alcohol on cognitive and motor functions result in a higher risk of accidents. Intoxicated drivers are more likely to be involved in traffic accidents resulting in serious or fatal injuries for themselves or others.
Legality and Legal Consequences: Driving under the influence of alcohol not only increases the risk of traffic accidents but also carries significant legal consequences, including fines, suspension of driving licenses, and even administrative arrest penalties, meaning serving a time of up to 36 hours under police surveillance in what is called “detention,” depending on local legislation.
Scientific evidence and traffic statistics unequivocally demonstrate that alcohol impairs driving by compromising the skills necessary to operate a vehicle safely. Prevention through education about the risks of alcohol and driving, along with zero-tolerance policies, is essential to reduce alcohol-related traffic accidents. A couple of good practices are the “Drive without alcohol” program that Mexico City has implemented for 21 years and the “Saving Lives” program operating in the Guadalajara metropolitan area since 2013.
