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Difficulty: MediumPhysiological Effects of Alcohol on Driving Performance

Consuming alcohol impairs the eyes' ability to adjust to sudden changes in light, thereby increasing the time a driver needs to recover from the glare of oncoming headlights.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True. Alcohol depresses pupil reflexes and eye muscle control, significantly increasing glare recovery time when driving at night.
The statement is true because alcohol slows central nervous system functions, including the involuntary iris muscle reflexes that regulate pupil size. Consequently, an impaired driver's eyes adjust much more slowly to bright light sources, prolonging visual glare recovery time during night driving.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the physiological mechanism being evaluated
The statement addresses how alcohol affects eye reflexes, specifically pupil constriction and dilation when exposed to bright light.
Eye reflexes are controlled by the central nervous system, which is depressed by alcohol.
2
Analyze how alcohol alters glare recovery time
Because pupil control reflexes are slowed, the eye cannot rapidly adapt to high-intensity light contrast.
Delayed muscular control of the iris causes prolonged temporary blindness after exposure to bright headlights.
3
Determine the truth value of the statement
The statement correctly describes the physiological impairment.
Alcohol directly increases glare recovery time, making nighttime driving hazards harder to see after encountering oncoming bright lights.

Key Concept

Impact of Alcohol on Visual Function and Glare Recovery
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Topics

Physiological Effects of Alcohol on Driving Performance

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