How Music Tempo and Volume Affects Your Driving

One of the first things we usually do after starting a car is to turn on the stereo and listen to music while we head off into the street. While the act of listening to tunes while you are on the wheel may seem trivial, research has shown that the songs we listen to affect the way we drive. That is why it is important to take a look at two very important properties of music and their effects on driving.

First, the tempo or the speed of the music has a significant effect on your speed. According to researchers, if you listen to hard rock or disco, you tend to drive faster than when you listen to soft music such as jazz or classic songs. Ironically, studies have shown that listening to fast music makes you less attentive to road obstacles. That is because as tempo increases, your brain is forced to process additional data from the audio signals, distracting your optimal driving capacity. Thus, if you are driving on the motorway, it is best to listen to soft jazz music so you will be more aware of the things around you.

The second factor is volume. Studies have shown that listening to songs at high volume has a negative effect on driving. You lose concentration because the loud music dominates the thoughts in your mind. That means you lose your focus on the road and you will not be able to hear crucial indicators for road hazards. Road experts suggest that you either loosen up on the volume or change the music into a softer one such as jazz or classic music.


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