Is your choice of music hindering your driving?

One of the joys of driving is that you get to listen to the music you choose. When you are in the car alone, you can play whatever you want, as loud as you want, and no matter how bad your voice, you can sing along without anyone complaining.

Yet the music you choose could have far more consequences than you realize. It could even make you more likely to crash.

Music tempo can affect your driving speed

You do not need to listen to a song backward to believe it makes you act in a certain way. All songs affect your behavior, and much of it is down to their tempo. Fast songs can lead you to drive faster and with more aggression. One study showed they also encourage you to change lanes more and skip more lights. All of those behaviors reduce your safety.

Slow songs can help you slow your driving as well as your mind. Yet, too much relaxing music could also cause you to crash if it sends you to sleep. Music used to help transport people to another place while dropping acid in the 60s may also be unwise. When you are driving, you need to be alert and in the present.

How you listen to music also matters. The less time you spend fiddling with changing tracks, the better. Consider creating a playlist for long journeys, so you can press play before setting off and forget about it.

What to do when a crash happens

If a driver crashes into you and injures you, it doesn’t really matter whether they were distracted by their music or something else. You have a right to expect fair compensation for your injuries and losses.