RAILWAY SIGNALS PASSED AT DANGER' THE DRIVERS, CIRCUMSTANCES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES

34 DRIVERS WHO HAD PASSED RAILWAY SIGNALS AT DANGER WERE EXAMINED MEDICALLY AND QUESTIONED ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH THE SIGNAL HAD BEEN PASSED. CONJECTURAL EXPLANATIONS, FORMULATED FOR EACH INCIDENT, INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING FACTORS' POOR SIGHT, ORGANIC DEMENTIA, SUSPECTED BUT NOT CONFIRMED, ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AMOUNTING TO ILLNESS, PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS NOT AMOUNTING TO ILLNESS, AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES. SEVERAL PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES THOUGHT TO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN CAUSING THE ERRORS ARE DISCUSSED. THESE WERE PANIC REACTION, FALSE EXPECTATIONS, PREOCCUPATION AND DISTRACTION, RESPONSES TO THE WRONG SIGNAL, RELAXATION AFTER STRESS, AND TIMING ERRORS. IT IS ARGUED THAT DANGERS ARISE FROM ERGONOMIC FAULTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVERS EFFICIENCY HAS DECLINED.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00140139
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 9, No 3, PP 211-222
• Authors:
  • Davis, D R
• Publication Date: 1966

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Ergonomics
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 0014-0139
  • EISSN: 1366-5847
  • Serial URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/terg20

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Passing; Physical condition; Psychological aspects; Railroad signals; Reaction time
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver investigation
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00225128
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 20 1994 12:00AM