The effect of alcohol impairment on road-crossing behaviour

The over-representation of intoxicated pedestrians in serious injury and fatal crashes compared to non-intoxicated pedestrians may be due, in part, to the effects of alcohol on the ability to select gaps in the traffic for safe road-crossing. An experiment is described that tests the effectiveness of an experimental approach to elicit road-crossing responses among groups of intoxicated (BAC = between 0.05% and 0.10%, mean = 0.07%) and sober adults (BAC = 0.00%). Some subtle effects of alcohol on road-crossing decisions were found, particularly at higher BAC levels of 0.07–0.10%. Highly intoxicated participants showed some lack of awareness of impairment, a tendency to engage in risky road-crossings, and difficulty integrating speed and distance information in a timely manner, necessary to select safe gaps in the traffic. These results are discussed in terms of the effect of alcohol impairment on perceptual and cognitive capacities and the ability to compensate for impairment. Importantly, this study has established a methodology on which further research can be conducted to examine the road-crossing behaviour of those with high levels of BAC and other forms of impairment.

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