Florida passed a law last year prohibiting drivers from listening to loud music in the car. If the music is deemed “louder than necessary,” the driver could receive a ticket. While the loud music law might feel straight out of “Footloose,” there is research that proves blasting music can negatively impact a driver’s abilities — especially young drivers.
Driving with loud music and impaired reaction time
A 2021 study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine found that increased music volume yields slower reaction time in young people.
Researchers tested the simple reaction time of drivers under the age of 25 against increased music volume. Neil Diamond’s song “Sweet Caroline” was played at approximately 0dB, 20dB, 40dB and 80dB. Each increase in volume impacted the drivers’ ability to react to stimuli.
“Results strongly suggest that high music volume could significantly impair a driver’s response time,” the study declared.
A 2013 study found similar results. Researchers observed the effects different types of music had on driving performance of young or novice drivers. Participants were tested multiple times listening to either: preferred music (a participant’s own playlist — typically pop, rock, hip-hop or rap), calming music (instrumental and played at a low volume) or no music.
Researchers found that young drivers are happier driving with their own music, but while listening to their preferred music driver performance worsened — there were more traffic violations, an increase in aggressive driving, increased driving errors and more risk of distraction. Out of the 85 participants, 27 required verbal warnings or commands and 17 needed steering or braking intervention to prevent an accident.
Volume, tempo and type of music can breed different results
Music isn’t create equal. Variations in music type, volume and tempo affect driver performance differently, according to a study by the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation and Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Researched looked at multiple studies to find how different types of music affects driving performance. They found that music has a variety of effects on drivers, including: anxiety or stress, increased aggression, relaxation and even the speed at which one drives.
Background music, researchers found, can reduce stress and enhance relaxation when driving in traffic and other irritating situations. While driving in high-congestion traffic, listening to favorite music led to milder driver aggression.
The study also reported that music tempo can affect driver performance. Drivers who listened to music with a higher tempo (typical in rock music) drove faster. Music with a faster tempo increased a driver’s risk-taking behavior — drivers underestimated how fast they were driving, had an increased risk of collisions and greater disregard for red lights.
Researchers also reported that quiet music has been shown to facilitate driver performance and improve reaction time, but loud music — especially intense music — impaired driver performance.
Should I listen to music while I drive?
Listening to music while driving is not inherently bad. There are a lot of factors at play. Music can be a distraction to driving, but there are positive sides to it as well. A 2012 study published in the National Library of Medicine found listening to music can positively impact mood while driving, which could affect the driver’s behavior.
Some of the potential dangers to listening to music in the car include: using a cellphone to select music while driving, focusing on song lyrics instead of the road and loud music muting important sounds from the road, per WTOV, an NBC and Fox affiliate.