Effects of Music on Driving
After starting the car, many people pop in their CDs, turn on their radio, or shuffle songs in their MP3 players to listen to music while they drive. While music provides entertainment for motorists, they should take care in choosing the songs that they listen to. That is because a recent study in the United States has revealed that there are certain effects that music can have on a person's driving attitude.
A group of 28 students participated in the study. They were made to drive around the streets of Chicago via a driving simulator while listening to various types of music at high volume. The type of music ranged from slow ballads of up to 60 beats a minute to fast club music of up to 120 or more beats per minute. Some students were not allowed to listen to music at all during the study.
During the study, researchers determined that drivers who listened to fast, up-tempo music were more likely to figure in an accident than those who enjoyed listening to slower music. They drove faster than the speed limit down the virtual motorways or went through a red light. The test subjects were also less alert to traffic and whatever else was going on while travelling on the road. On the other hand, those who listened to softer music drove more slowly, and those who did not listen to music at all were the most focused on the road.
Based on the findings, researchers advised motorists to select slow or medium-beat music. In addition, turning down the volume makes them more alert on the road. These experts suggested that similar studies on road safety using other distractions such as changing the CD, the sound of screaming children in the car, and other disturbances should be done.
Testimonials
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Jeremy Vine (BBC Radio 2)
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Lindsey Brown
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Michael McCotter
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