Alcohol affects the human body from the very first sip, even when its effects are not immediately noticeable. Alcohol impairs several critical brain functions. Even a slight impairment of any one of these functions can be enough to contribute to a road traffic crash — and the risk increases significantly when multiple functions are affected simultaneously.
| REDUCES | INCREASES |
| • Attention and judgement • Peripheral vision • Hazard perception • Night vision • Reflexes and reaction time • Ability to estimate speed and distance • Decision-making ability • Coordination and precision • Stability and balance • Inhibitions and perception of risk | • Reaction time • Overconfidence • Impulsiveness • Aggressiveness • Probability of making wrong decisions |
Each person is affected by alcohol to a different degree, but even the same person may be affected differently depending on their physical and mental condition at any given time.
Only 1% of kilometres travelled in Europe are driven by drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) ≥0.5 g/L, but this small percentage is associated with approximately 25% of fatal road traffic crashes.
All standard alcoholic drinks contain approximately the same amount of pure alcohol (around 16 ml), depending on the serving size.
