How Music Affects Your Driving

HOW MUSIC AFFECTS YOUR DRIVING No Nonsense INSURANCE THE EFFECT OF MUSIC GENERALLY Listening to loud music increases the mental effort while driving in both complex and monotonous traffic situations. Below shows how much mental effort increases during routine driving tasks as a result of exposure to music. Percentage increase in mental effort 55% increase 25% 35% increase 50% 25% increase increase increase Car approaching from left Car emerging from right Car following Gap acceptance in intersection Gap acceptance in T-Junction 63% 27% increase 43% 26% 33% 61% increase increase increase increase increase 2nd parked car driving off Merging with traffic in highway Traffic jam in highway Traffic pile-up in highway Parked car Monotonous driving off driving WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? Music is information - this requires processing by the brain. Whilst driving, individuals have to process a lot of information the road ahead, other drivers, physical stimuli (like temperature, comfort levels), information on the dashboard. Adding music to the mix further diminishes the brain's capability to concentrate on driving. PROCESSING... In a 1997 experiment, drivers were exposed to music and no music. Study suggested that reaction to objects in front vision was improved, compared to those drivers listening to no music at all. Conversely, the reaction to objects within peripheral vision was slowed by 0.1 seconds. 50 milliseconds increase seconds 0.1 decrease In a 1999 experiment, the effect of music was studied in high demand and low demand situations. High demand situations are those situations in which the driver must multitask. The experiment found that music had no effect on low demand situations. Music was found to assist drivers in high demand situations. The issue of whether there is significant environmental noise has a significant impact on the effect of music whilst driving. Where there is a significant level of environmental noise, music can help focus drivers' attention away from such distraction. 90% of drivers admit 60% believe it makes 15% say their choice of music makes them 5% say their choice of music makes them drive music impacts on driving performance. them better drivers because they are happier. drive faster. more aggressively. Drivers' heart rates remain more stable SPEED OF MUSIC Drivers who listen to uptempo music (120 beats per minute) are twice as likely to jump red lights, compared to drivers who are listening to no music. when they listen to music, suggesting music can relax drivers. Music similar in speed to the human heart rate can relieve stress and cause safer driving. Therefore, the optimum tempo for driving music should mimic the human heartbeat (60 to 80 beats per minute). VOLUME OF MUSIC Increase in volume of music lengthens the reaction time of drivers. If a driver listens to loud music, it doesn't matter whether it is fast or slow, classical or contemporary when it comes to reducing reaction speed. Increases of volume significantly reduce "emergence stop speed" MUSIC KEY AND DRIVING Music in a major key induced an increase in heart rate and driving speed. Major-key music is more likely to induce excitement and therefore result in faster driving speeds. TYPE OF MUSIC Hip Hop Female listeners become more Drum N Bass Jazz listeners Reggae listeners more likely to be involved in a near miss / most likely is more likely to to report that they need their music to Music with Hard rock Classical music lyrics and complex music listeners more likely to engage in aggressive behaviour. listeners more likely to be involved in a are more listeners are likely to receive a fine the safest drivers. aggressive. for speeding. impact negatively on driving. crash, but show improved reaction times. concentrate. DRIVING AND SPECIFIC SONGS TOP TEN... Most dangerous songs to listen to whilst driving: Safest songs to listen to whilst driving: 1. Hey Mama - The Black Eyed Peas 2. Dead on Arrival - Fall Out Boy 3. Paper Planes - M.I.A 4. Walkie Talkie Man - Steriogram 5. Paradise City - Guns N' Roses 6. How You Remind Me - Nickelback 7. Hit the Road, Jack - Ray Charles 8. Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash 9. Heartless - Kanye West 10. Young, Wild and Free - Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa (feat. Bruno Mars) Come Away With Me - Norah Jones 2. Billionaire Feat. Bruno Mars - Travie McCoy 3. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz 4. The Scientist - Coldplay 5. Tiny Dancer - Elton John 6. Cry Me a River - Justin Timberlake 7. I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith 8. Karma Police - Radiohead 9. Never Had a Dream Come True - S Club 7 10. Skinny Love - Bon Iver SPEED PERCEPTION AND MUSIC All types of music serve to make perceived speed to be up to 33% lower than actual speed. 50 II 33% GENDER AND MUSIC In 2007 Brian Dalton's research found that, unlike the popular belief, women were still better drivers than men while listening to hard rock on their car radios. THIS INFOGRAPHIC SOURCES: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000145751200036X http://voices.yahoo.com/the-effects-music-driving-3639935.html?cat=27 http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/motoring/calming-music-on-radio-makes-you-128060 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1870853.stm http://www.directline.com/motor/driving-music.htm http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/01/11/drive-to-the-beats-of-coldplay-for-a-safe-journey/ http://www.drdriving.org/misc/music_strick_report.html http://musicpsychology.co.uk/music-and-driving/ http://musicandspeech.voices.wooster.edu Effects of Music on Driving http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/01/11/drivetothebeatsofcoldplayforasafejourney/ http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/16/the-music-you-listen-to-impacts-your-driving-safety/ http://www.confused.com/car-insurance/articles/top-ten-most-dangerous-driving-songs http://in.bgu.ac.il/humsos/art/DocLib/Pages/Scientific-Publications-warren/17_TRF.pdf http://doctersoccer.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/effect-of-music-on-driving-how.html http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/car-life/is-loud-music-a-driving-hazard/article4171340/ WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY No Nonsense INSURANCE www.NONONSENSE.IE