Does listening to music make you an unsafe driver?

Written by Taylor Smart on 07th August 2018

Does listening to music make you an unsafe driver?

Driving along on a road trip across the country, whilst listening to your favourite music sounds like a magical experience, but did you know it might make you more of an unsafe driver?

What are the effects of driving with music playing?

According to scientists at University College London (UCL), driving with music on can shorten your response times and increase your stress levels. 

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: "This bears out previous research from Israel which confirms what we always knew – the wrong kind of music can make you an unsafe driver!

"The distraction potential of different sound sources and high-speed music sounds is a topic all new drivers need to be aware of.

"Choosing the right music could be just as important as putting on your seatbelt or checking your mirrors before you set off.”

Anything that can draw your attention away from the road can be a danger, and if a car radio is being played extremely loudly a person’s attention cannot be fully focused on driving a vehicle. 

The genre of music can also affect the safeness of your driving. Upbeat songs that you’d normally workout to can get you stressed and impatient, causing you to drive faster. Also listening to music that you tend to listen to before bed could make you tired while driving, causing you to be in danger.

There is also the risk-factor of listening to music extremely loudly in your vehicle. If there is an emergency vehicle approaching you may not be able to hear it coming, and can cause delays. You could also damage your ears by listening to music too loudly, that goes for at home, in headphones or in your car! 

Are you an unsafe driver? What music do you listen to when driving? Have you ever thought about how it could be affecting your driving quality? 

Why Not Read: 10 Tips To Avoid Road Rage

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