1.14 - Reaction Times
Reaction time and the factors that affect it
- Reaction time is how long a person takes to respond to an event - for example, seeing a hazard and braking.
- A typical human reaction time is between 0.2 s and 0.9 s.
The reaction time is the delay between spotting the lion and starting to run.
Factors that increase reaction time
- Tiredness
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Distractions (such as using a mobile phone or talking to passengers)
Reaction time and driving
- An alert driver's reaction time in a real driving situation is around 1 s.
- The longer the reaction time, the further the vehicle travels before the driver reacts, which increases the thinking distance.
TermDefinition
Reaction timeHow long a person takes to respond to an event.