Iran Occupational Health

Background and aims:Traffic noise is one of the most important environmental pollutants. World health organization has determined the health effects of community noise including cognitive performance disorders. The aim of this research is the study of effects of road traffic noise on peripheral perception and choice reaction time performance drivers.

methods: thirty and five students from the faculty of health, Tehran University of medical sciences (males), participated in the study. Peripheral Perception and Reaction time tests from Vienna test system package in the case of exposure to traffic and silent conditions performed. The main variables of this research were field of vision, tracking deviation, incorrect reactions, omitted reactions, mean mental reaction time and mean motor time. Road traffic noise was recorded from Main Street of Tehran by voice recorder Sony ICD MAX20, and was played in an acoustic room.

Result: comparison of result of Peripheral Perception in after exposure to traffic noise showed that despite slight difference in field of vision (P=0.85), tracking deviation (P=0.59), incorrect reaction (P=0.42) and omitted reactions (P=0.57), but were not statistically significant. Also in mean mental reaction time (P=0.47) and mean motor time (P=0.49), no significant differences were observed.

 Conclusion: result of this study show that noise traffic in Peripheral Perception and choice reaction time variables were not affected.