If you've ever reached for the volume control while driving in challenging conditions, you're not alone. Many drivers claim that they “can’t see” when the music is blaring, although the logic seems questionable. But science says instinct is not wrong.
So what's the science behind music and driving? Are there situations when music becomes useful and not a burden?
Read more: How Animals React to Music May Surprise You
Risks of driving with music
Listening to music may seem harmless while driving. According to the article in Prospects for health promotionBetween 72 and 100 percent of drivers consider the car audio system an essential part of their trip, and we spend about 75 percent of our time on the road playing something.
But not all music affects us equally while driving. Research has shown that when the volume increases, our average driving speed also increases. Loud music increases the mental workload of drivers, and energetic songs can increase adrenaline levels and take attention away from the road.
Young drivers are especially vulnerable to this effect, according to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. They may prefer to drive while listening to music from their favorite playlists, but studies show that their performance suffers when playing their favorite music. By listening to music they like, young drivers commit more traffic violations, make more driving errors, exhibit more aggressive behavior and are generally more distracted. Driving with calm music or without music at all was much safer.
These changes in driving ability are not related to musical taste, but to cognitive limitations and working memory. Driving requires constant concentration, situational awareness and quick decision-making, and any sensory distraction drains resources that should be reserved for the road.
Why do we think we “see” better without music?
While scientists don't suggest there's one specific thing that helps us concentrate better with or without music, for those of us who prefer to turn off the music in difficult driving situations, it likely has something to do with our performance. memory.
Working memory, described by the Child Mind Institute as everything you keep in your head while you're doing something, acts like the brain's sketchpad, storing and processing the information we need in the moment. Unlike long-term memory, which works silently in the background, working memory is active and very easy to overload.
As explained by a researcher writing in Accident analysis and preventionWorking memory plays an important role in processing information while driving and helps us interpret visual and sensory signals:
“A driver confronted with a yellow signal will need working memory to temporarily store the state of the signal while simultaneously scanning the road for additional information to make a decision about whether to accelerate or brake in response.”
As working memory becomes overwhelmed by loud music, complex rhythms, or emotional song lyrics, there are fewer mental resources available for steering, braking, or assessing road hazards. Research shows that higher working memory capacity is directly related to safer driving behavior and better decision making.
Simply reducing audio input can help the brain reallocate resources toward visual and spatial processing, making us feel like more focused drivers.
Does music help us drive?
Although certain music can overload our brains while driving, some studies show that listening to music in the car actually has many effects. advantages. Research shows that music can reduce stress, calm our nerves, and help us stay awake while driving.
One study conducted at the University of Groningen found that listening to music while driving had little effect on driving performance. In fact, they found that any effects measured were positive. On long, monotonous roads, music made drivers more attentive and improved their performance.
As study author Aisa Berfu Ünal explained in a press release, “We asked participants to drive behind another vehicle for half an hour on a quiet road. As you might expect, it became very tiring. But people who listened to music were more focused on driving and performed better than those who did not have music.”
Overall, music seems to be both a distraction and a driving tool. When we adjust the volume, choose quieter trackers, or skip a song, we're not being picky—we're managing our cognitive load in real time.
Read more: Does everyone experience the same emotions when listening to music?
Article sources
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