Effects of Visual Distraction on Reaction Time in a Simulated Traffic Environment

Existing studies of the relationship between visual distractors and traffic accidents are both limited and contradictory. The present study investigates the effect of: (a) number of distractors, (b) color of distractors, and (c) location of distractors, on the perception of a target stimulus. Reaction time was the response measure. Analysis of variance showed that all three dimensions have a significant effect on reaction time, with location having the greatest effect. Conclusions are that: (1) legal limits be placed on distractors, and (2) engineering decisions be oriented toward counteracting the potential negative effects of the background distractors.