A Comparative Study of Visual and Auditory Reaction Times Among Professional Bus Drivers and Non-Drivers

Background: Reaction time (RT) is a fundamental measure of sensory and motor responsiveness, serving as a key indicator of psychomotor and cognitive functions critical for safe driving. Visual Reaction Time (VRT) and Auditory Reaction Time (ART) are specific components of RT that are particularly relevant to the dynamic and demanding environment of professional driving. Aim: The objective of this study was to conduct a cross-sectional comparison of VRT and ART between a group of professional bus drivers and a control group of non-drivers. Methodology: A total of 80 male participants, comprising 40 professional bus drivers with 5–10 years of experience and 40 age-matched non-driving controls, were recruited for the study. Both VRT and ART were measured using a standardized, mobile-based application. The test procedure involved a simple reaction time task where participants responded to either a visual stimulus (a green light disappearing) or an auditory stimulus (a beep sound) by lifting their finger from the screen. Data were analyzed using an unpaired Student's t-test, with a significance level set at p<0.05. Results: The mean ART for drivers was 220.7±11 ms, which was significantly faster than the control group's mean of 240.0±12 ms (p<0.001). Similarly, the mean VRT for drivers was 228.0±15.1 ms, which was also significantly faster than the control group's mean of 251.0±13.2 ms (p<0.001). Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrate that professional bus drivers possess significantly faster visual and auditory reaction times compared to non-drivers. This suggests that sustained exposure to the complex demands of driving may lead to a practice-induced improvement in neural processing speed and sensorimotor coordination, with important implications for road safety and driver competency.