It is well known that even small amounts of alcohol at the wheel can have dangerous effects on driving ability. The driver’s ability to react is no longer sufficiently guaranteed in road traffic. It is not for nothing that the zero blood alcohol limit applies in many countries and is rightly punished with high penalties for violations.

According to new findings, however, other conditions also make us drive on the road as if we had been drinking alcohol. Conditions caused by dehydration    med.: Volumenmangel der extrazellulären Flüssigkeit, u.a. des Blutplasmas – dem Körper wird weniger Flüssigkeit zugef... cause drivers to make the same dangerous driving mistakes as under the influence of alcohol. Here, too, the ability to drive suffers enormously: dehydration is the trigger! If you drive while dehydrated, you run the risk of making similar mistakes as if you were under the influence of alcohol.

Even slight problems with the water balance and the onset of dehydration lead to twice as many driving errors as normal. This has now been shown by British researchers.

Experts at Loughborough University conducted research into dehydration at the wheel and found that drivers who drank only about 25 milliliters of water per hour made almost as many driving errors as drunk drivers.

Thirst is a bad passenger

They told the Daily Telegraph that they wanted to use their research to raise public awareness of this underestimated danger. Far too many drivers are simply not aware that dehydration also has a negative effect on driving ability, such as alcohol (or drugs).

Drinking too little leads to twice as many driving errors. That is the quintessence of their research. The study by the British researchers was published in the journal “Physiology and Behavior”. For the evaluations, the scientists had male test subjects drive in a driving simulator for two hours on two different days.

The route was monotonous and monotonous. However, it included several smaller challenges such as bends, overtaking maneuvers, changing road surfaces or different weather conditions. It was therefore a realistic situation to which millions of drivers are exposed every day.

On one of the two test days, the drivers were given 200 milliliters (i.e. a whole glass) to drink per hour. On the other day, only 25 milliliters (i.e. just a small sip) were served. The researchers recorded the test subjects’ driving errors on both days.

Drinking breaks reduce the risk of accidents

The result is more than thought-provoking: drivers who had drunk enough committed an average of 47 errors on the track. This already included delayed braking or driving over a solid line.

However, the same drivers made 101 mistakes without sufficient hydration. That is more than twice as many. It was noticeable that the highest error rate occurred in the last 15 minutes of the test period.

This means that dehydrated drivers statistically make just as many mistakes as those drivers who are over the drink-drive limit. The researchers explicitly point out that the extent of dehydration in the study was comparatively mild.

As in everyday life, so on the road

During the course of the day, however, far too many people still drink far less than the test subjects. Either you simply don’t think about it or drinks are not within reach or you are simply not aware of your body’s needs. Many drivers deliberately drink less before long journeys in order to avoid toilet breaks. A fatal mistake that can have serious consequences.

Make up for fluid loss at regular intervals – especially in summer. Concentration and attention span in particular are noticeably reduced by dehydration. These are not good conditions for safe driving. The statistics show that almost 70% of all accidents are clearly due to driver error.

Arrive better with water

To prevent dehydration from occurring in the first place, you should drink plenty of fluids at regular intervals, on short and especially long journeys by car – (mineral) water is the best choice here. Make sure you allow for conscious breaks to drink during your journey. Even if you have to go to the toilet several times on the way, combine this with drinking again immediately afterwards.

It’s not for nothing that Jane Holdsworth, Director of the European Hydration Institute (EHI), warns against drinking extra little in the car to avoid toilet breaks: “We know that even mild dehydration can trigger symptoms such as headaches, tiredness and lethargy.” This can have fatal consequences for a car journey …

Better liquid equipment

Especially in summer, the body loses a lot of fluid due to sweating and the higher temperatures. This is exacerbated by heated cars and the use of air conditioning. It is advisable to always have a sufficient supply of drinks in the car, especially in hot summer temperatures. One or two bottles of water should be carried in the car as a matter of course, just like a warning triangle, safety vest or first aid kit.