Reaction Test

REACTION AND CO-ORDINATION TEST

The reaction and co-ordination test is designed to assess how fast and accurate your reflexes are when responding to a series of sounds and colour light signals. Similar to the scenario in a train driver’s cab, fast and accurate reactions mixed with good co-ordination form key elements of a driver’s performance.

The test is computer based, featuring a computer monitor, a modified keyboard, left and right foot pedals, and a headphone.

The keyboard has a set of coloured buttons matching colours that appear momentarily on the computer screen, a high(H) and low(L) button to be pressed in acknowledgement of sound signals heard over the headphone. The foot pedals are situated beneath the desk. The headphone is worn during the course of the test. It is a pretty simple arrangement and you need not worry about it.

On commencement of the test, different coloured lights appear briefly on the screen requiring you to respond by pressing the appropriate coloured button on the keyboard in acknowledgement.

On the lower left and right hand sides of the screen, images of a pedal appear at random requiring you to respond by stepping on the left or right foot pedal in acknowledgement.

Through the headphone you will listen to a random low and high sound signals and you are also required to acknowledge by pressing the appropriate low or high button on the keyboard.

These events happen at random and your task is to react as fast as possible in a well co-ordinated manner.

You will get to practise before the actual test commences.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

- It will help you before taking this test to sharpen your reaction and co-ordination through playing lots of computer based games. Lots of play station games offer a great way to do this too.

- On the day of the actual test, make sure you fully understand the instructions you are given.

- Do not let anxiety take over the best of you. You need to remain calm.

- Concentration is important. Do not let yourself be distracted by anything around you.

- As the test progresses, you will notice that the frequency of random events tends to increase requiring you to react faster. It gets to a point where you are unable to keep up with your acknowledgement reactions. At this point you need to pause momentarily and pick up on a fresh pace.

Many people fail this test because when they are outpaced during the test, in an attempt to keep up, they end up either pressing the wrong buttons or reacting long after a random event has occurred.

Remember that you get penalised for incorrect responses in the test.

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