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Caffeine enhances alertness, activates arousal, and suppresses the urge to sleep. However, whether caffeine prevents injuries caused by impaired alertness is unclear. In this case-control study, Australian investigators determined whether consuming caffeinated substances lowered risk for crashes in long-distance commercial vehicle drivers.
Cases were 530 drivers involved in crashes attended by police and controls were 517 drivers not involved in crashes during the previous 12 months. In all, 43% of participants reported consuming caffeinated substances such as tea, coffee, caffeine tablets, and energy drinks to stay awake. Analysis adjusted for confounding variables (e.g., age, symptoms of sleep apnea, distance driven) showed that drivers wh…