Energy Drinks & Driving Ability

Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences24 enrolled

Overview

Rationale: Sleepiness behind the wheel is the cause of many traffic accidents. It is claimed that a 15-minute break and consuming an energy drink such as Red Bull® Energy Drink counteracts driver sleepiness. Objective: The objective of this study is to compare driving simulator performance after (1) a 15-minute break with placebo, (2) a 15-minute break with Red Bull® Energy Drink, and (3) continued driving. Study design: A double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Study population: Healthy human volunteers, 21-35 years old. Intervention: Each subject performs 3 test days: 1. 4 hours continued driving 2. 2 hours driving, a 15-minute break + Red Bull® Energy Drink, followed by 2 hours driving 3. 2 hours driving, a 15-minute break + placebo, followed by 2 hours driving Main study parameters/endpoints: Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP), i.e. the weaving of the car.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Driver Sleepiness

Interventions

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 21 YearsMax age: 35 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * He/she is aged between 21 and 35 years old * BMI between 21 and 30, * 55-85 kg body weight * Non smoker * Written informed consent * Normal static binocular acuity, corrected or uncorrected * Normal hearing * Possession of a valid driver's license for at least 3 years * Regular driver (\> 5000 km / year) * Be considered as reliable and mentally capable of adhering to the protocol. Exclusion Criteria: * Current drug use (positive urine drug screen on the presence of amphetamines (including MDMA), barbiturates, cannabinoids, benzodiazepines, cocaine, and opiates) as will be assessed by a urine drug test * Use of psychoactive medication * Pregnancy * Positive alcohol breath test * Prior enrolment in the same study * Physical or mental illness * Excessive alcohol use (\>21 alcoholic drinks per week) * Intake of caffeine-containing beverages under 2 or over 4 glasses per day * Regular consumption of Energy Drinks (\>1 per month) * Shift worker (or no regular sleep pattern) * Epworth Sleepiness Score (ESS) \> 10

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Standard Deviation of Lateral Position (SDLP). This a measure of weaving of the car within the right traffic lane

Time frame: the 2 hours of driving following the intervention

Secondary Outcomes

Number of collisions