Back to Motoring news

Motoring news

Motoring news search

Search our archive of Motoring news.

		GO

Motoring news archive

Search our archive of Motoring
news by date.

2012

January
February
March
April
May

2011

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2010

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2009

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

2008

September
October
November
December

RSS feed

You can subscribe to receive the latest motoring news from Admiral with RSS.

	Motoring news RSS feed

Drivers warned off energy drinks

24/09/2009

Caffeinated drinks can lead to increased tiredness behind the wheel, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has warned.

The institute's concern echoes those raised earlier this year by The National Safety Commission (TNSC) in the USA, which highlighted the high levels of caffeine in certain 'energy drinks'. While the commission acknowledged the beneficial effects to drivers of "one or two cups of coffee", it said that very high caffeine levels could induce "caffeine intoxication".

"The problems occur when large amounts of caffeine cause a driver to become excited, irritable, nervous, and restless," TNSC wrote.

"Rambling thoughts and mental agitation can cause a driver to take chances that he or she might not otherwise take, and loss of patience and anger can lead to poor decision-making which can be deadly on the road."

The IAM advises drivers to make planned stops every two hours, and to stop driving to rest - rather than open a window - should they feel tired.

The institute's director of policy and research Neil Grieg said: "Energy drinks are good as a quick fix, but they're no substitute for regular breaks."

Tweet