Effect of Smartphone Breathalyzer Feedback on Willingness to Drive in Moderately Intoxicated Individuals: a Randomized Trial.

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, November 2025: Effect of Smartphone Breathalyzer Feedback on Willingness to Drive in Moderately Intoxicated Individuals: a Randomized Trial.
• Journal Article:
  Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors
• Personal Author:
  Ebert, Jeffrey P. ; Kranzler, Henry R. ; Barnett, Ian J. ; Hemmons, Jessica E. ; Yan, Ruiqi ; Spencer, Evan ; Delgado, M. Kit
• Description:
  The present study examined the impact of smartphone breathalyzer feedback on individuals' decisions to drive when they are moderately intoxicated. Although the legal driving limit for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in the United States is < 0.08%, crash risk begins to increase at moderate BACs ≥ 0.04%.
  
  We conducted a laboratory-based, randomized controlled trial in 20 adult drivers aged 21-39 with a history of binge drinking. Participants were given sex- and weight-based doses of alcohol over 90 min with a target peak BAC of 0.10%. Smartphone breathalyzer measurements were taken every 15 min until the participant's BAC declined to 0.03%. Ten participants received feedback on their BAC readings, while the other 10 were blinded to BAC readings. After each measurement, participants were asked to rate on 10-point scales how much they were intoxicated, able to drive, and willing to drive.
  
  At BACs ≥ 0.04% and < 0.08%, learning about BAC was associated with lower perceived intoxication (-2.0, confidence interval [-3.1, -0.8]), greater perceived ability to drive (2.4, confidence interval [1.0, 3.9]), and greater willingness to drive (3.9, confidence interval [2.5, 5.3]), all
  
  s < .001.
  
  Being aware of their BAC may make drinkers more willing to drive up to the legal BAC limit of 0.08%, despite being in a range associated with increased crash risk. We recommend that breathalyzer apps provide salient feedback about the risks of driving with a BAC in the moderately intoxicated range. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).
• Content Notes:
  Author manuscript
• Subjects:
  • Humans
  • Smartphone
  • Adult
  • Male
  • Female
  • Young Adult
  • Alcoholic Intoxication
  • Automobile Driving
  • Blood Alcohol Content
  • Breath Tests
  More +
• Keywords:
  • alcohol breath test
  • willingness to drive
  • alcohol consumption
  • blood alcohol concentration
  • smartphone breathalyzer
• Source:
  Psychology of Addictive Behaviors : Journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors, November 2025
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0001088
• ISSN:
  0893-164X ; 1939-1501
• Pubmed ID:
  40811123
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC12356493
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  R49 CE002474/CE/NCIPC CDC HHSUnited States/ ; Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics/Center for Health Incentives and Behavioral Economics/ ; K12 HL109009/HL/NHLBI NIH HHSUnited States/ ; Abramson Family Foundation/ ; NH/NIH HHSUnited States/ ; CC/CDC HHSUnited States/
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Pages in Document:
  14 pdf pages
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/261176/cdc_261176_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 468.35 KB]
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ec29ac77514b907d4f9fd0c114c65f23847aa1629743f2861d3dfcf001b887a98c35b8ff3e08242f77bd566dfdc493eb08737b6584be6edf902763658c100cfe