Theme 3: Impairment

These projects are primarily concerned with drivers who are impaired due to alcohol, drugs (illicit or medicinal) or fatigue, and ways of reducing the problems through enforcement and publicity. Attention is also being given to the influence of alcohol on pedestrian accidents.

Vision and driving (No.02)

This review concentrates on studies exploring the extent to which visual deficits assessed by standard clinical tests or by custom-designed tests may be linked to road accident rates.

Published:

14 March 2000

Cannabis and driving: a review of the literature and commentary (No.12)

This report provides a review of current knowledge of the effects of cannabis on driving performance and accident risk in order to identify key research objectives which will support transport policy development.

Published:

03 May 2000

Anti-depressants and road safety: a literature review and commentary (No.18)

Part of a series of reviews about current knowledge of the accident risk of identified drug categories, this report summarises the literature on antidepressants and driving safety published since 1990.

Published:

04 February 2003

Alcohol and pedestrians (No.20)

This report covers the results of three separate but related studies into the role of alcohol in pedestrian accidents.

Published:

13 July 2001

Driver sleepiness (No.21)

Overview of findings from Phase 3 of the DfT's research programme.

Published:

16 August 2001

Sleep-related vehicle accidents (No.22)

Focusing on sections of selected trunk roads and motorways in the UK (1995-1998).

Published:

06 February 2002

Forecasting older driver accidents and casualties (No.23)

This report describes calculations aimed at estimating the trends in the numbers of older drivers (60+) over the next 20 years, the numbers of accidents in which they will be involved, and the resulting numbers of casualties.

Published:

06 August 2001

Over-the-counter medicines and the potential for unwanted sleepiness (No.24)

This report identifies those medicines available over the counter (OTC), that have the potential to cause drowsiness, and therefore the potential to be hazardous to drivers and other road users. Published 22 January 2004.

Published:

22 January 2004

Older drivers: a literature review (No.25)

Literature review.

Published:

29 November 2001

Road Safety Research Report No. 88 - Summary findings (146 kb)

A longitudinal research study to examine the practical issues that arise from setting up and operating an alcohol ignition interlock programme in Britain was undertaken by an international consortium led by Douglas Beirness (Beirness and Associates, Canada), Andrew Clayton (RSN Associates UK) and Ward Vanlaar (Traffic Injury Research undation, Canada).

Published:

20 November 2008

Investigation of the usefulness, the acceptability and impact on lifestyle of alcohol (no.88) (285 kb)

This report summarises the findings of a longitudinal controlled study in which drink drive offenders had their cars fitted with an alcohol ignition interlock for a period of 12 months and were asked to complete questionnaires and take part in interviews throughout this period and at 6 months after the removal of the device. The study reports on the practicalities of setting up such a scheme, and on its effect on those who participated, and their families.

Published:

20 November 2008

Road Safety Research Report No. 89 - Summary findings (90 kb)

An international review of experience regarding the implementation of alcohol ignition interlock programmes was undertaken jointly by Andrew Clayton (RSN Associates, UK) and Douglas Beirness (Beirness and Associates, Canada). Eight programmes in Australia, Europe and North America were examined in detail.

Published:

20 November 2008

Review of international evidence -use of alcohol ignition interlocks in drink-drive offences (no.89) (493 kb)

This research report summarises the practical arrangements that currently operate in established alcohol ignition interlock programmes for convicted drink drivers.

Published:

20 November 2008

Road Safety Research Report No. 90 - Summary findings (88 kb)

The UK Department for Transport is to commission a new roadside survey of drinking and driving in 2008. In preparation for that research, this report reviews roadside surveys previously conducted in the UK and then considers similar studies conducted in other parts of the world, with the primary objective of identifying examples of best practice which could inform the design of a new UK roadside survey of drinking and driving.

Published:

20 November 2008

A review of methodologies employed in roadside surveys of drinking and driving (no.90) (375 kb)

The Department for Transport is to commission a new roadside survey of drinking and driving in 2008. In preparation for that research, this report reviews the roadside surveys previously conducted in the UK and then considers similar studies conducted in other parts of the world, with the primary objective of identifying examples of best practice which could inform the design of a new UK roadside survey of drinking and driving.

Published:

20 November 2008

Over-The-Counter Medicines: Assessment of Package Warnings (No.28) (334 kb)

The document reviews the standard and consistency of labelling, on both the exterior packaging and inserted instructions for Over-the-counter medicines that have the potential to cause sedation.

Published:

16 April 2004

The ageing driver: A programme of research (No.29) (413 kb)

This study involved three stages; a questionnaire completed by 1,993 drivers, laboratory tests completed by between 508 and 630 drivers, and observed drives on suburban roads completed by 200 drivers.

Published:

16 April 2003

Older Drivers, Illness and Medication (No. 39) (370 kb)

This report contains research carried out on the general concern about safety of older drivers using medication.

Published:

29 March 2004

Sleep-related crashes on sections of different road types in the UK (1995-2001) (4 Mb)

Road Safety Research Report No. 52 comprises an overview of the main findings from all the sleep-related road crashes' audits from 1995 to 2001.

Published:

19 October 2004

Effectiveness of MSAs in reducing fatigue related and other accidents (No.57) (427 kb)

This report concerns the effectiveness of Motorway Service Areas(MSAs) in reducing road traffic crashes, especially those that are sleep related crashes. Published 26 April 2006.

Published:

26 April 2006

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the National Driver Improvement Scheme (761 kb)

Road Safety Research Report No. 64 evaluating the effectiveness of two-day courses run under the National Driver Improvement Scheme (NDIS).

Published:

24 November 2005

Monitoring the effectiveness of the UK field impairment tests (910 kb)

Road Safety Research Report No. 63. Monitoring the effectiveness of the overall battery of tests in detecting drug-related impairment to drive.

Published:

03 April 2006

Interactions between sleepiness and moderate alcohol intake in drivers (473 kb)

Road Safety Research Report No. 62. This report summarises the result of a three-year study into the interaction between sleepiness and moderate alcohol intake.

Published:

21 July 2006