Auditory vs. Visual Communication

Jul 20 2022

Auditory vs. Visual Communication

As humans we use a variety of different ways to communicate with each other to try to understand what another is trying to say. 

Two of the main ways we communicate is auditory and visual. At Stop'N'Go these are the methods we’re most interested in, they’re the primary choices when directing traffic, vehicles and pedestrians on your sites or involved with your operations. 

We believe that visual communication is the most effective of the two.  

Why?  

The first and most important reason is grounded in GCSE science. The difference between the speed of light and sound.  

Light travels almost 900,000 metres faster per second than sound. Identifying and acting on a visual cue is always going to be faster than relying on hearing a command. 

Another reason is the fact multiple people can hear a shouted command and may think that it applies to them individually. This has the potential to cause confusion with multiple vehicles, pieces of plant and/or pedestrians congregating at different points on a site.

Identifying whether a clear visual signal is meant for you or another person is much easier. 
If not using expensive communication or radio systems it is also very easy to either not hear a command or worse mis-hear it. 

This opens up the possibility of further confusion and increases the likelihood of incidents or accidents. 

If you want to make your visual communications with drivers 89% more effective why not try the Stop'N'Go range of gloves.

Designed to make signalling and directing traffic safer and easier and trialled extensively in the workplace we’re confident it will make a positive impact on your site and in your operation. 

Click here to request a free trial!