Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7275-4202

Date Available

12-11-2024

Year of Publication

2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

College

Arts and Sciences

Department/School/Program

Psychology

Advisor

Dr. Mark T Fillmore

Abstract

Alcohol-related driving fatalities persist as a public health problem in the United States. Recent studies have begun focusing on driver risk-taking as a factor in DUI occurrences and consequent driving fatalities. Key factors that could contribute to risky intoxicated driving are a lack of self-awareness concerning intoxication levels and consequent risk in addition to alcohol-induced increases in the driver’s impulsivity. Fifty young adult drivers received 0.65 g/kg of alcohol (target BAC = 80 mg/dl) or a placebo in a counterbalanced order on two different days and performed a simulated driving test that measured driver risk-taking as reduced distance to other vehicles. A cued go/no-go task measured drivers’ level of disinhibition while their perceived intoxication was assessed via self-reports of their subjective intoxication and BAC estimations. ANOVAs revealed that, compared with placebo, alcohol increased each of the measures. In terms of individual differences, the current study did not find a predictor of risky driving behavior in the entire sample. Sex differences analyses revealed that the riskiest drivers were men who self-estimated lower BACs and women who were more sensitive to alcohol’s disinhibiting effects. These findings suggest that DUI programs could be most by raising risk awareness in the male offender.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2024.436

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