Drivers Often Confuse Alcohol with Energy Drinks: Results of a Worrying Study

Drivers are increasingly confusing alcoholic beverages with water and energy drinks due to the similarity in packaging. Bright designs and attractive labels on bottles can confuse buyers, who cannot always distinguish alcohol from non-alcoholic products. American researchers have shown that less than 60% of study participants could identify the type of drink based solely on the appearance of the packaging.

'Especially frequent mistakes were made with the drink Vizzy — four out of five participants considered it regular carbonated water or lemonade.'

Many people also made mistakes with other drinks such as Four Loko, Truly, High Noon Sun Sips, BuzzBallz, and even water, which can lead to serious consequences. Incidents where alcohol is mistakenly perceived as a non-alcoholic drink are becoming more common, which can be dangerous on the road.

'Real examples testify to the seriousness of the problem. For example, the story of a driver who consumed alcoholic White Claw, thinking it was an energy drink.'

Experts urge drivers to be careful and carefully check labels on drinks before purchasing, as even one mistake can have serious consequences on the road. This is especially important in light of the large selection of drinks in stores, where it is easy to make a mistake. Recently, new rules regarding road safety for drivers from Ukraine were introduced in Poland.

The packaging of alcoholic beverages is becoming increasingly similar to those containing non-alcoholic components. Bright designs and attractive labels can cause confusion among consumers, making it difficult to correctly determine the composition of the drink. Researchers confirmed the problem, arguing this through an experiment in which only a fraction of participants could correctly distinguish alcohol from a non-alcoholic drink by merely looking at the appearance of the bottle. Carelessness in drink selection can lead to serious consequences on the road, researchers claim.