New research highlights caffeine as biggest impact on improved reaction times

Caffeine has been found to have a positive impact on reaction times and stopping distances, according to a new study from Uswitch.com.

Partnering with behavioural science consultancy, CX Lab, Uswitch recruited 103 UK drivers to undertake a version of the DVSA Hazard Perception Test, testing a number of different criteria, including caffeine, gender, music and noisy children.

When participants had drunk a strong cup of coffee 20 minutes prior to the test, they responded quicker upon spotting a hazard, equating to a 23.92m reduction in stopping distance when travelling at 70mph.

When looking at gender, the experiment found women to be faster at spotting hazards, responding 690ms faster than men. This would equate to a 21.48m reduction in stopping distance.