At UCD a group of volunteers spend some time drinking to test the effects of alcohol on the ability to drive.
Irish drinking culture comes under scrutiny in the second episode of 'Survey' a series which examines the attitudes of Irish people to some of the major influences in their lives.
To test the impact of the consumption of alcohol on the ability to drive, a controlled experiment is undertaken on a course at University College Dublin (UCD). The course is designed and laid out by engineers from the traffic section at Dublin County Council and driven by individuals with varying levels of experience while stone cold sober.
The drivers repair to the bar and a careful record is kept of all alcohol consumed. When the drinking is over, scientists from the Department of Forensic Medicine at UCD, record the levels of alcohol in the participants blood using an alcometer and blood samples are taken.
With their pub session behind them, the drivers return to the test course. They all make mistakes, with varying levels of severity according to how much alcohol is in their system. A top class driver performs badly as he has consumed four pints of stout and seven whiskeys.
Actually he’s completely lost, he doesn’t know where he is, all he sees is a maze of plastic cones, I think he’s had enough.
A driver with almost twice the allowed level of alcohol in his blood was under the impression he had done really well when he finished the course.
This episode of ‘Survey’ presented by Pat Kenny was broadcast on 18 January 1977.
