Interesting, and explains many morning commutes...
- Study: Enery drinks can pep you up, but not if you're driving
BY Amy Eisinger
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERUpdated Friday, September 25th 2009, 8:23 AM
Red Bull may give people a pick-me-up, but it won't keep them alert behind the wheel of a car, a new study shows.
Because of new research, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) in the UK has issued a warning about certain beverages after discovering that despite high amounts of caffeine and sugar, drivers could still lapse behind the wheel, according to a report in Britain's Telegraph.
An hour after drinking highly caffeinated beverages, motorists suffered delays in their reaction times similar to symptoms of alcohol intoxication concluded the study, which was conducted by the US National Safety Commission.
"Energy drinks are good as a quick fix, but they're no substitute for regular breaks," Neil Grieg, the IAM director of policy and research, told Britain's Telegraph.
So while it may not actually benefit drivers to gulp down cups of coffee while driving, the IAM does offer some helpful alternatives. They suggest sharing the wheel whenever possible, pulling over when they feel tired and taking breaks.
The new study supports other research about caffeinated drinks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also recently found that consuming high amounts of caffeine could lead to effects that were similar to being drunk, including irritability, muscle spasm and slurred words.
"Having a high-caffeine drink is a one-off hit--you can't repeat it," Grieg told the paper, "as this type of drink does not produce the same effect in a couple of hours' time."
