Older adults may have greater drink-driving risk

Older adults may be more affected by light social drinking than they think, according to a study of 68 people by researchers at the University of Florida. The study compared 42 older adults to 26 younger ones and tested their visual motor skills 25 and 75 minutes after consuming alcohol equivalent to 1 or 2 drinks. Overall the older drinkers performed worse than the younger ones both at 25 minutes and at 75 minutes. After 25 minutes the older adults thought they were less affected than the younger ones although this was reversed after 75 minutes. The research has implications for drink driving as it is people's visual motor skills that they rely on when driving.

You can find out more about this research at

http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUKTRE52A5VQ20090311?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews