ABSTRACT
Upper respiratory tract illnesses, such as the common cold and influenza, are widespread, frequent and a major cause of absenteeism from work and education. Initial evidence for effects of these illnesses on performance efficiency at work came from anecdotal reports and case histories. Performance was assessed using a virtual reality driving simulator. This involved simulated driving with a secondary reaction time task. The variables derived from the task and used in subsequent statistical analyses were: Kerb hits: analyses were performed using the mean number of kerb hits made by participants during their fifteen minute test sessions. Laboratory research has shown that having a cold makes one more susceptible to the effects of other factors and safety limits based on studies of healthy individuals may not be appropriate for the person who is driving while ill or after recent illness.
