Loud Music is a Major Factor When it Comes to Distracted Driving
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, but it really should last an entire year in order to keep this national epidemic out on the forefront. To educate other drivers on the woes of distracted driving, Distracted Driving Awareness Month highlights what is known as the “7 deadly sins of distracted driving” that can have an overwhelmingly dangerous effect on peoples' driving ability.
At Service King Perrin Beitel in San Antonio, TX, we know that Distracted Driving Awareness Month is important because hopefully, the messages imparted them will resonate all year long.
Of all the worst activities that any person can engage in while driving is listening to music, but it's probably the most common. Some studies say that 90 percent of all drivers listen to some form of music in their vehicle, so the question is this--are you a part of the remaining 10 percent?
The Wrath of Very Loud Music
Listening to music at a high volume in your vehicle can be quite enjoyable, but listening to loud music in your auto can be extremely distracting. An in-depth study by a group of scientists at Newfoundland’s Memorial University discovered that reaction time could slow as much as 20 % when someone is listening to earsplitting music. That benchmark was at 95 decibels, which is approximately as loud as a power lawnmower.
That might seem very loud, but consider that the middle volume of your standard music player (such as your phone) is roughly 94 decibels. That’s not really too loud at all – and car radio volumes can frequently hit 100 decibels or more, especially on the freeway. Teenage drivers are especially susceptible – 93% of novice drivers play loud music when they’re behind the wheel.
Your Personal Play List Can Be Distracting
Above all, it might seem like music in your vehicle is most distracting when it includes favorite tunes. At this point, drivers will normally tend to focus more on the music than on the road, which can lead to a number of potentially dangerous situations.
This was highlighted in a study conducted at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, where teenage drivers were tested on their driving skills while tuning into to a variety of music playlists. Of the 85 subjects polled, 98% made errors when listening to their own music, and 17 of these actually required instructor intervention to prevent an accident. By comparison, 77% made major errors when listening to safe-driving music, which consisted of easy listening, coffee house songwriter songs, soft rock and a variety of light jazz accompaniments.
While we can’t say don't listen to the music that you enjoy, it’s a smart idea to keep in mind the potential for distraction when you’re rocking out to your playlist on the road.
Our Verdict: Better to Be Safer Than Sorry
You might look at this data and think it doesn’t affect you, but our advice is to be safe than sorry. Regardless of the music itself, choosing your music via radio dials or a music player is a proven physical distraction, because you’re literally taking your hands (and eyes) off of the wheel.
If you’re going to listen to some sweet songs, plan your playlists way in advance and listen to it all at a fairly reasonable volume. Whenever it comes to music out on the road, “too much of a good thing” definitely applies.
Service King Perrin Beitel in San Antonio, TX 78217
Sources: NHTSA and idrivesafely.com
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