ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办：中国科学院心理研究所
出版：科学出版社

Advances in Psychological Science ›› 2019, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (suppl.): 95-95.

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Predicting driving impairment from visual and oculomotor impairment after alcohol intake

Jing Chena,b, Yinghua Yangc, Rui Jind, Lee Stonee, Li Lia,b   

  1. aFaculty of Arts and Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China;
    bNYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science at New York University Shanghai, Shanghai, China;
    cSchool of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China;
    dDepartment of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR;
    eHuman Systems Integrations Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA
  • Online:2019-08-26 Published:2022-03-21
  • Supported by:
    Fund：Supported by research grants from Shanghai Science and Technology Committee (15DZ2270400, 17ZR1420100) and NYU-ECNU Joint Research Institute at NYU Shanghai.

Abstract: PURPOSE: We examined the relationship between low-level neural impairment (as evidenced from visual and visuomotor testing using an ocular tracking task) and operational driving impairment (as evidenced from performance testing and modeling using a simulated lane-keeping task) after alcohol intake.
METHODS: For the lane-keeping task, the display (95ºx63º) simulated a participant driving a virtual vehicle down a lane while facing crosswind perturbations (sum-of- sines motion: 0.1-2.19Hz). Participants (n=31, 17 females) used a steering wheel to control heading of the vehicle to keep it centered in the lane. For the ocular tracking task, the same participants tracked the step-ramp motion of a target dot (diameter: 0.64º) with its speed (16°/s-24°/s) and direction (0°-360°) randomly varied from trial to trial. We tested four BACs (0, 0.02%, 0.04%, & 0.08%).
RESULTS: Model-independent analyses show that, while precision of lane-keeping (measured by RMS error) is affected only at the highest BAC tested (0.08%), significant effects of alcohol on visual and oculomotor function (measured by a composite ocular tracking index) are evident at the medium BAC (0.04%). Model- dependent analyses show that, while reaction time, response gain, and neuromuscular stability appear to degrade with BAC, the ability of our participants to generate compensatory lead control for lane-keeping appears to increase with BAC. This counterintuitive finding may explain the subjective, yet false, confidence in driving ability at 0.08% BAC (about 3 standard drinks). Furthermore, while before alcohol intake, ocular tracking index is positively correlated with response gain and negatively correlated with the ability to generate lead control, after alcohol intake, it is only negatively correlated with reaction time at 0.08% BAC.
CONCLUSIONS: Low-level visual and oculomotor function is more easily affected by alcohol intake than operational driving such as lane-keeping. Visual and oculomotor impairment can predict driving impairment (measured by the reaction time in lane keeping) at 0.08% BAC.

Key words: alcohol intake, blood alcohol content, eye movement, driving, locomotion