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Binge Drinkers Believe they Have the Ability to Drive When Intoxicated

Contrary to the belief that most people who drink and drive are alcoholics, 80 percent of all alcohol-impaired driving incidents are caused by binge drinkers, or those who drink four to five alcohol beverages in a two-hour period. A 2008 study of college students shows that binge drinkers, even when legally intoxicated, believe they can drive adequately.

“Binge drinkers are often young individuals, like college students, who are drinking irresponsibly and most of them are not alcohol dependent,” said Cecile A. Marczinski, assistant professor at Northern Kentucky University and author of the study. Marczinski also explained that binge drinkers typically drink to get drunk.

"Binge drinking is widespread on college campuses, with almost half of students reporting binge drinking," Marczinski said. "They are also particularly prone to (alcohol-impaired) driving. Thus, we needed to understand why a population that knows better than to engage in impaired driving still does.”

The study involved 20 male and 20 female social-drinking college students between 21 and 29 years of age. Twenty-four of the students were binge drinkers and 16 were non-binge drinkers. All participants attended a session in which they received a moderate dose of alcohol and a session in which they received a placebo. Following each session, participants underwent a simulated driving test where researchers measured the students’ performance and responses, including ratings of sedation, stimulation, and driving abilities.

After receiving alcohol, all of the individuals—binge drinkers or not—drove very poorly, according to Marczinski. “However, when all of the participants are asked to rate their driving ability, the binge drinkers reported that they had a greater ability to drive compared to the non-binge drinkers,” she said.

The researchers hypothesize that binge drinkers lack an “internal sedation cue” that allows an accurate assessment of their driving abilities after drinking.

Marczinski also noted that the dose of alcohol the participants received resulted in a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 percent, which is the legal limit for driving. “If these binge drinkers had been driving and were stopped by police, they would have been prosecuted for impaired driving,” she said.

"A BAC of .08 may feel differently depending on how much you typically drink," she said. "If you often drink to get drunk, as many young people do, you will be very bad at determining whether or not you should drive. Thus, prevention programs where college students are stopped leaving bars and given a breathalyzer reading may help many individuals learn what .08 feels like."

“In addition, we might also entertain a lower BAC limit for driving. Many European countries have had great success in decreasing impaired driving rates and related accidents by lowering their BAC limit to .05,” she continued.

Marczinski also noted that while a small portion of young binge drinkers may develop alcohol dependency, most of them will “mature out of this behavior."

Source: Science Daily, Binge Drinkers Have a Disconnect Between Their Driving Abilities and Reality, May 11, 2008