The songs that will make you a danger on the road – as listening to rock music could make you a terrible driver
LISTENING to rock music while behind the wheel could make your driving worse, a new study has revealed.
And the faster the tempo, the more erratic you’re likely to be on the road.
A recent investigation by South China University of Technology found that drivers who crank rock music in the car are more likely to have an accident.
Scientists at the university analysed driving performances when motorists listened to rock, light music and nothing at all.
Using a driving simulator, each subject was asked to navigate a six-lane motorway for 20 minutes at a time.
According to the findings, the number of times a driver changed lanes increased from an average of 70 times per hour to more than 140 times per hour when listening to loud rock.
Not only did the test subjects drive more aggressively when listening to their favourite albums, it also added around 5mph to their average speed.
And according to the study, music with a BPM (beats per minute) greater than 120 can have a negative impact on your driving, resulting in faster driving speeds and more traffic violations.
Qiany Zeng, lead researcher at the South China University of Technology, said: “Such findings are insightful for the development of comprehensive driver education, training, and management measures, especially for transport operators, and could mitigate the risk of driver distraction.
“In particular, rock music is often characterized as having a fast tempo and high sound volume.
“Additionally, some complicated rhythmic patterns and layered textures could be prevalent in rock music.”
Another recent study revealed American Idiot by American rock band Green Day was the most dangerous song to drive out of the 96 most popular tracks on Spotify.
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Party In The USA by singer Miley Cyrus was surprisingly high on the list, just in front of The Killer’s Mr Brightside, The Chainsmoker’s Don’t Let Me Down and Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run.
Shockingly, Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven is the safest song to listen to when behind the wheel.
It was followed by Under the Bridge by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and God’s Plan by Drake.