Objective To explore the main factors influencing the attention of the military drivers working at high altitude environment by comparing the attention status of the drivers at different altitudes, so as to provide evidence for objective evaluation of military drivers' attention at high altitude. Methods A total of 196 military drivers at high altitude (2 900 m) and 190 at moderate altitude (2 200 m) were included in study groups, and 192 at low altitude (below 100 m) were taken as controls. Attention concentration instrument (EP701C) and attention distribution instrument (EP708A) produced by Scientific & Teaching Instruments Factory of East China Normal University were used to evaluate the attention status of the drivers. The data were analyzed by chi-square test, variance analysis, LSD-t and nonparametric test. Results Finally 578 of the 600 surveyed military drivers finished the survey, with a recovery rate of 96.33%. The 578 drivers included 196 in the high altitude group, 190 in the moderate altitude group, and 192 in the control group. For reaction to the 3 kinds of sounds, the correct response time of the high altitude group was significantly less than those of the moderate altitude group (P<0.01) and control group (P<0.01), the reaction period of the high altitude group was significantly longer than those of the moderate altitude group (P<0.05) and control group (P<0.01), and that of the moderate altitude group was significantly longer than the control group (P<0.05). For attention distribution test, the accuracy times of sound attention in the high altitude group and the moderate altitude group were significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). The high altitude group also had a significantly longer reaction time to the sound compared with the moderate altitude group (P<0.05) and control group (P<0.01), and that of the moderate altitude group was significantly longer than the control group (P<0.05); and the same was true also for the light response period in the three groups. For attention concentration ability test, the high altitude group had significantly longer orbit period than the control group (P<0.01), and there was no significant difference in the time of target missing among the three groups (P>0.05). Conclusion High altitude environment has an adverse effect on selecting response time and attention distribution ability of military drivers, and the effect increases with altitude. Long-term high-altitude environmental training can promote the attention concentration ability of military drivers.