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                        Human Factors
                        eLearning


            
            In This Section
        eLearning: Attention
                The Attention Game
                Attention & Distraction
                                Attention: Definition and Examples
                Tasks & Demands
                Distraction: Definition and Examples
                Strategies to Manage Distractions
                The Cost of Distraction
                                First person: Distraction and its Consequences
                Attention Related Accidents
                BNSF coal train collision
                Metrolink 111 collision with UP. Chatsworth. Sept 2008
                Canadian National collision, Two Harbors MN Sept 2010.
                HiRail collision, Rockville, MD. Jan 2010
                Rear end collision, Mineral Springs NC
                Pedestrian fatality, West Jordan, UT
                Rear end collision, Westville IN
                Derailment, Bronx NY Dec 2013
                Port Authority collision, Hoboken NJ, May 2011
                Santiago de Compostela derailment, July 2013
                Amtrak 188 Derailment May 2015
                Bad Aibling, GER Collision, February 2016
                Human Systems Integration
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                Distraction: Definition and Examples
    

    
    
          A drawing of a distracted man.What is a Distraction?

Distractions take attention away from what an operator needs to do when performing a task. Distractions can be external (such as noise) or internal (such as fatigue, rumination, or stress).

Distractions may be caused by a number of factors, including the loss of interest in the primary activity, inability to pay attention due to various reasons, or intensity of the distractor.

Types of Distractions

Distractions can come in many forms. The following examples were taken from interviews with railroad engineers and conductors. The selection respresents the variety of factors that can pull attention away from what is important when operating a locomotive.

Ambient noise (passengers, crew, equipment)
	Noisy equipment due to malfunction
	Active conversations with passengers and colleagues
	Information overload from displays
	Cell phone use (talking, texting, gaming, social media use)
	Mind wandering, rumination
	Physiological discomfort due to temperature, body positioning
	Fatigue due to shift work
	Lack of maintenance on equipment that is distracting (holes in equipment)
	Weather (rain in face)
	Looking for irrelevant objects in the environment (birds, animals)
	Automobiles and pedestrians
	Inability to focus due to personal stress
              Source
      
                              
                  
                  Nemeth, C., Papautsky, L., Grome, A. & Fallon, C. (2014). Computer-Based Training in Human-Systems Integration . Technical Report. Federal Railroad Administration. U.S. Department of Transportation. Washington, DC. 20590
      
    
          Last updated: Wednesday, October 23, 2019 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

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