The increased popularity of drinks like the "Jager Bomb" (Jagermeister and Red Bull) or "Vodka and Red Bull" has dangerous implications for drivers and others sharing the road. A new study from the University of Florida surveyed more than 800 young drinkers. It found that people who had caffeine and alcohol drinks were often in a more inebriated condition when they left the bar. These drinkers were also more likely to grab their keys and drive home.
The reason for this conundrum is because consuming a stimulant like Red Bull with an intoxicant like alcohol reduces the perception of being drunk but not the physical impairment.
"Patrons who had consumed alcohol mixed with energy drinks were at a three-fold increased risk of leaving a bar highly intoxicated," said the study authors. These drinkers had a "four-fold increased risk of intending to drive on leaving the bar district, compared to other drinking patrons who did not consume alcoholic beverages mixed with energy drinks."
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is now seen as a cause of "elevated involvement in nighttime risk-taking behavior."
The study is published in the Journal of Addictive Behaviors.
