It’s virtually universally accepted that people like to listen to music in the car. Some people can barely stand the thought of driving around in silence and would never turn the music off. Every single car that is produced has some sort of entertainment system, from a radio to a Bluetooth setup.
But can the music that you listen to lead to driving mistakes and increase your odds of an accident? Is it going to make you drive too fast or feel distracted?
The relationship between music and speed
As far as speed is concerned, studies have found that listening to fast music tends to make people drive faster. They may not even realize that they’re doing it. This is why it can be perfectly safe to listen to classical music at 80 beats per minute but it may be dangerous to listen to rock music at more than 120 beats per minute.
The role of distraction
In addition to making people drive too quickly, music can simply be distracting because they’re paying attention to it instead of the road. A driver may not hear a siren or a car horn. They may be less attentive to traffic conditions around them or even fail to see a traffic signal. This is especially a problem for someone who feels a deep emotional connection to the song that they’re listening to and decides to sing along while they drive.
Have you been injured?
Even if you listen to calming music that makes you a safer driver, you could certainly be injured by someone else who is listening to loud or fast music and winds up being distracted or speeding. If this happens to you, you need to know how to seek proper financial compensation.
