What does this research mean for the field?

A driver's decision to drive after drinking is significantly predicted by their estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and their confidence in that estimate, rather than their perceived driving impairment, with high-BAC individuals prone to underestimating their intoxication. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study examines how different blood alcohol concentration levels affect drivers' perceptions of their own impairment and confidence in driving after drinking.

May 19, 2026Journal of Safety ResearchOpen Access

Metacognitive judgments of alcohol-related intoxication and impairment: The Mellanby effect and alcohol myopia in low-risk drinkers

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This study examines how different blood alcohol concentration levels affect drivers' perceptions of their own impairment and confidence in driving after drinking.
160 blinded participants were randomly allocated into low, mid, or high BAC groups in a controlled environment.
Participants completed surveys assessing their perceived intoxication and driving capabilities at various times post-drinking.
Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between estimated BAC, confidence in estimates, and decision to drive.
Participants in the mid BAC group accurately estimated their alcohol consumption, while low BAC overestimated and high BAC underestimated it.
High BAC participants felt more capable of driving as their BAC decreased, despite higher actual intoxication levels.
Confidence in BAC estimates was a significant predictor of the decision to drive, more so than perceived impairment.

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Implication

Randomized trial examines BAC effects on perceived impairment and driving decisions in low-risk drinkers, suggesting important implications.

Cite This Study

Love et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a0bfdc7166b51b53d37908c https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2026.05.009

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Implication

Randomized trial examines BAC effects on perceived impairment and driving decisions in low-risk drinkers, suggesting important implications.

Metacognitive judgments of alcohol-related intoxication and impairment: The Mellanby effect and alcohol myopia in low-risk drinkers

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Metacognitive judgments of alcohol-related intoxication and impairment: The Mellanby effect and alcohol myopia in low-risk drinkers

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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