According to another study by an insurer, the categories of music you hear make an enormous difference in driver behavior. We’ve got featured in this concept before and it seems to be a recurring topic that’s stimulating debate on driver behavior and in-car music.
Driving to certain forms of music can “transcend the road from nuisance to danger,” in line with the insurer Chaucer Direct. The insurer has analyzed a variety of studies into the consequences of music on drivers’ behavior, all of which seem to conclude that loud and upbeat music increases the guts rate and isn’t conducive to safe driving that ends up not having to call roadside assistance such as towing San Jose.
In a study by researchers at Stanford University within the US, participants were clipped with electrodes that measured stress levels as they underwent a simulated drive. The study showed that subjects being attentive to loud, peppy tunes were more likely to hurry, swerve into oncoming traffic, and cause collisions. The report said that high-energy music tends to “compete for the eye resources available for driving.”
The study also showed that subjects’ response times improved almost instantaneously when music was abruptly changed from loud and upbeat to quiet and mellow. Instead of taking time to adapt to the changes in tempo and volume, subjects reported feeling immediately calmer.
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Dr. David Ireland, lecturer in music psychology at the University of Leeds, suggests that arousal levels are piqued by the “faster occurrence of musical events” in upbeat music.
While Dr. Ireland agrees that fast music can hinder the cognitive function needed to soundly navigate traffic, he also suggests that a driver’s personality could be a major factor. He suggests that while some are also “focused, energized and motivated” by fast music, others could also be dangerously distracted.
Warren Brodsky said: “As they get drawn in by a song, they move from an extra-personal space involving driving tasks to a more personal space of active music listening.”
James Gibson, Road Safety GB’s head of communications, suggests that turning music off is helpful for a few driving tasks. He said: “Having loud music is especially unhelpful when maneuvering in and out of spaces or birth prevention of driveways. Switching the radio off and opening the windows can help.