Blue lights are as useful as coffee with the driver

No need to drink a large cup of coffee or a can of juice, streetcars drivers can stay alert with the blue lights in the car.

Researchers from the University of Bordeaux Segalen (France) and colleagues in Sweden have demonstrated that continuous exposure to blue light has the same effect as drinking coffee in increasing the alertness of nighttime driver.

The findings could pave the way for the introduction of an electronic sleep-wake system equipped with vehicles to minimize the risk of road deaths.

Statistics show that sleepiness is responsible for one-third of deaths from highway accidents as it reduces the driver's alertness, flexibility and perception.

According to the Daily Mail, drinking coffee has long been regarded as the best solution against sleepiness. Researchers have tried to develop a similar anti-drowsy device to equip the car.

Researchers have found that blue light is capable of increasing alertness by stimulating retinal ganglion cells - specialized neurons in the retina, a thin film on the back of the eye. These cells are associated with areas that control the brain's alertness. The stimulation of retinal ganglion cells by blue light helps to prevent the production of melatonin, a hormone that decreases alertness at night.

The positive effect of blue light on people's sanity at night has been known since 2005, most notably through American research. However, previous studies have only shown this effect through simple cognitive tests, such as pressing a response to a stimulus with light.

The latest findings from French and Swedish researchers are drawn from the experiments conducted under actual driving conditions. The results of this study were published in PLoS One and the Medical Express Web site.