The reaction of the driver is the ability to apply the brakes in time when obstacles arise and the recognition of traffic light colors. This is a very difficult job for the mechanisms of the human body. On the road, you need to be very careful and be able to react instantly, because even a few seconds can cost someone a life. How does alcohol affect driver reaction time? Traffic rules say the following.
Factors that affect motorist response
The ability to respond in time is influenced by certain factors: preliminary and motor. Behind the wheel, even a sober person should have an instant reaction. The braking distance may be much closer than it seems. Several factors influence this:
- weather conditions;
- the speed at which the car travels;
- wet road;
- quality and features of the road surface.
On the length of the path,passed by the car during the reaction time of the driver, affects:
- visibility, which includes the degree of illumination of the road, weather conditions, dust;
- degree of fatigue of a person sitting behind the wheel;
- qualification, experience;
- age;
- well-being and general condition: vision, the presence of alcohol in the blood.
Reaction turns on from about 0.4 to 1.5 sec. at a speed of 50 km per hour in 1.5 seconds. the car will travel 20.8 m. But when drinking alcohol, this time period increases. So, how does alcohol affect the reaction time of the driver and the driving process in general?
Ethanol-based drinks
Alcoholic drinks are drinks that contain ethanol. There are many alcoholic drinks, most of them are produced by fermentation. This liquid has a calming and suppressive effect on the central nervous system and on the human body in general. A not sober person is a potential killer behind the wheel, not only himself, but also those around him. When drinking alcohol, the driver’s reaction decreases, the criticality of the assessment of the situation is violated, and consequences of any nature are possible. Alcohol negatively affects the entire human body, it affects, first of all, the cardiovascular system, the heart dies the fastest, cancer, brain destruction.
Can I drive drunk?
Sit behindsteering drunk is generally not acceptable for any person. After all, if a person drank, then his consciousness is disturbed. Dangerous is the attitude of the driver to his condition. Alcohol has a powerful effect on the functioning of the nervous system. This is due to its unusual qualities, because most of the molecules dissolve instantly in water and fats. Since alcohol is perfectly soluble in both water and fats, there are no barriers for it in the human body. Accordingly, the C2H5OH molecule penetrates anywhere, including the brain.
Norms and doses
Alcohol is measured in ppm. A ppm is ten times less than a percentage. Accordingly, 0.01% \u003d 0.1 ppm. The allowable rate, which is not considered intoxication, is 0-0.3 ppm - this is the natural background of a person (endogenous alcohol). If the breathalyzer shows from 0.3 to 0.5 ppm - this is a slight influence of alcohol. Alcohol intoxication is not considered, but checking the driver's condition is possible if there are other signs. Only medical professionals have the right to make a conclusion about the driver's condition. From 0.5 to 1.5 ppm - this is a slight alcoholic intoxication. Driving while intoxicated is a reason for a driver to be deprived of a driver's license for a period of three years. At any examination, a replacement of the mouthpiece must be required. Indeed, often the police use such a trick - cotton wool soaked in alcohol in devices. Learn more about how alcohol affects driver reaction time further.
Controlaction
During alcohol intoxication, the driver does not really control his actions, of course, it all depends on the dose of alcohol consumed. As a result, the driver does not assess the situation on the road, but considers his actions and capabilities to be high. A drunk driver is much more dangerous than a driver who is tired or sick. Indeed, in such cases, the driver is aware and in control of the situation, he knows what his capabilities are, and does not overestimate them. Alcohol and the reaction of the driver are opposite things. A sober driver, unlike a drunk one, does not drive at high speed, does not perform any tricks on the road, if he sees some obstacles, he slows down in advance, concentrates all his attention on the road and signs, and drives quite carefully. A drunk driver drives exactly the opposite way.
Basics of traffic rules: the effect of alcohol on driver reaction time
A drunk person has a feeling of very high self-confidence, and he is not afraid of anything, therefore he often makes complex maneuvers on the road, exceeds the speed limit, does not pay attention to road signs. As a result, very often drunk drivers violate the rules of the road, create emergency situations. It is not uncommon that there are cases when a drunk driver, seeing a pedestrian, drives at high speed, because he believes that he will have time to pass. But the coordination of movements and the reaction are slow, so it seems to him that the pedestrian is far away, but in fact he is close. Seeing a pedestrian nearby, he presses the brake, and it seems to him that he pressed it in time, but it is not so, the driver pressed it late. And the innocent suffer in the endman.
With a slight influence of alcohol, absent-mindedness or a manifestation of aggressiveness appears.
When slightly intoxicated, the reaction time of the driver increases by one and a half times. There is a risk of hitting a pedestrian.
With average intoxication, the driver's reaction worsens by 6-9 times, the risk that the driver falls asleep at the wheel is high.
When heavily intoxicated, the driver does not control himself at all.
When heavily intoxicated, the driver may lose consciousness, and get into an accident or get poisoned by alcohol.
Therefore, if a person drank even 50 grams of alcohol, he does not need to drive to save the life of himself and those around him. If you need to get somewhere, it's better to call a taxi, it will be much safer.
After knowing how alcohol affects the reaction time of the driver, it is worth considering whether you should drive drunk.
