How Music and Audio Distractions Contribute to Car Accidents
Hitting the road for a long drive, you’ve probably made sure your favorite playlist was along for the ride. Who among us has not sung along with a classic oldie or Motown favorite or sped up with the beats per minute (BPM)?
There is no doubt that music can calm the savage beast, improve concentration, and keep one awake and in a good mood during a long drive.
But as with most things, music can serve as a form of distraction, which is a leading cause of car accidents.
Distracted Driving
There are about five million car accidents in the U.S. every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2021, nearly 43,000 died in a fatal crash, the highest number of traffic fatalities in 16 years.
Alabama has one of the nation’s highest death rates per 100,000 residents, behind Arkansas, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Wyoming. In 2020, 932 Alabamans lost their lives in fatal car crashes.
Distractions, speeding, and failure to wear a seatbelt are major causes of car accident death. Distractions can include using a cell phone, texting, talking to passengers, eating, grooming behind the wheel, or using the navigation system.
Add to that list – reaching for the radio or song on the playlist is also a major distraction while driving.
Distraction and Music
Young, inexperienced drivers may be especially susceptible to the downsides of music while driving.
Published in Accident Analysis and Prevention in 2015, researchers assigned 85 novice drivers, with seven months or less of driving experience, to specific routes. In one group, the driver played their favorite songs. They listened to no music or an instrumental track on the other routes.
A driving instructor took notes on each driver. The teens, with their own music, played it much louder than the safe-driving groups. While their mood was recorded as improved, their number of driving errors increased, such as speeding, weaving, and aggression behind the wheel.
The results were somewhat different in another study at the University of Groningen on 47 drivers in their 20s and 30s. Again, the groups were divided into two groups, one with music and one without music. Heart rate monitors showed loud music increased the degree of attention and arousal while driving, keeping people from getting bored.
There was no difference between following another vehicle, whether with or without music.
Other research on music during driving shows music at 120 beats per minute (BPM) can cause drivers to speed up. The human resting heart rate is between 60-80 BPM.
Distracted by music and it’s easier to miss seeing a vehicle in your blind spot. Speeding can also lead to an increase in car accidents when drivers are more aggressive behind the wheel, weave through traffic, or leave inadequate space between vehicles.
A Memorial University study found reactions were slower when music was played at high volumes, decreasing up to 20 percent. Also, consider that when music is played too loudly, you cannot hear sirens or feedback from your surroundings.
Your Alabama Car Accident Attorney
A car accident that results from distraction requires immediate attention. If there are injuries, calling for medical help will be the first action needed. Next, get in touch with an attorney who can help guide you through the legal process.
Attorney Chip Nix has dealt with hundreds of car accident claims and thoroughly understands Alabama personal injury laws. His compassionate representation will help guide you through the process of seeking full and fair compensation.
Alabama law is stacked against you if you contributed even one percent to the accident. Mr. Nix understands the contributory negligence laws and how they can block you from recovering from the at-fault party.
He is also adept at dealing with insurance companies in a way the average citizen cannot. If you seek damages and compensation for your losses due to an Alabama car accident, you would be well advised to schedule a compensatory consultation with Mr. Nix to explore your options.
Call us at our Montgomery office at (334) 203-6669 to get started.
Sources:
The Zebra
https://www.thezebra.com/resources/driving/car-accidents-by-state/
NHTSA
https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving
Forbes
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/car-accident-statistics/#sources_section
Psychological Science
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/music-in-the-car-can-cause-teen-drivers-to-tune-out.html
