2020 Volume 46 Issue SpecialEdition Pages 19-28
Train drivers must look ahead and react to many kinds of signals or signs when driving a train. We investigated whether they could perceive a visual signal when driving a train in actual setting while paying attention to the ordinary signal. In this experiment, train drivers (N = 41) were asked to blow a whistle as quickly as possible, when they see a target light about 610-720 meters ahead. The target light was set to be seen at 0, 1.8, 3.3 degrees away from an ordinary signal on the rail track. Each driver responded for just one target. There were no missed target errors. However, RTs (Reaction times) analysis indicated that RTs for targets separated by 1.8 and 3.3 from the central vision was significantly longer than those at 0. We concluded that when driving a train, it is hard for drivers to respond to a target that was separated from a focused object and discussed applicability of this result to driving environment and driver's education.