Listening to music in the car affects your driving—but here’s a surprising reason

For many of us, listening music just part of it drive Routine – as ordinary as wearing a seat belt. We create playlists road tripchoose songs to stay awake and even turn up the volume while sleeping transportation Becoming stressed.

More than 80% driver Most of the time I travel I listen to music. Many young drivers find it difficult to concentrate without it.

We tend to think of music as something that relaxes us, energizes us, or helps us focus while driving.

but science paints a more complex picture. for decades Research Performing music can sharpen some aspects of driving and dull others. It affects young drivers differently than it does experienced drivers.

How do researchers study driving and music?

Most studies use driving simulators in which participants drive in real road scenarios while researcher Only one thing changed: the music.

This can accurately measure indicators such as speed, reaction time, lane keeping, braking, following distance, simulated collisions and even the driver’s physiological state under different music conditions.

Since everything else remains the same, any difference in driving Performance Can be attributed to music.

Researchers have tested different music and driving scenarios in dozens of small studies, with often conflicting conclusions. To understand these results, the researchers combined them in a “meta-analysis” to understand broad patterns.

So how does music affect our driving?

Meta-analysis shows music changes the way we drive in a variety of ways.

Drivers who listened to music tended to have more simulated collisions, poorer speed control, and more erratic following distances than drivers who drove quietly.

Other results, such as lane position, signal error, and pure reaction time, showed more mixed or inconsistent effects.

Music often changes a driver’s heart rate and makes it more erratic. It also increases their arousal and mental load, meaning how “busy” or nervous they are mentally when trying to drive.

Music can also help tired drivers stay alert during long, monotonous stretches of road, but only for a short time. The enhanced effect wears off after approximately 15 to 25 minutes.

So for shorter distances, music can make you feel better and more alert, even if it adds extra cognitive load and competes with the main task of driving.

Do the volume and type of music matter?

Volume does affect driving, but the impact is more subtle than many people think.

High and medium volume music tended to increase the driver’s speed slightly, while low volume music always caused the driver to drive slower. These effects are small but relatively consistent in direction.

Uptempo music has a bad reputation, but the evidence compiled is less clear. A meta-analysis found that cadence has no overall effect on the driving performance of average drivers. But if you’re a new driver, things are a little different.

Individual studies still suggest that very high-arousal, aggressive racetracks may prompt some drivers to engage in more risky behavior and make them more likely to make mistakes. But cadence alone doesn’t fully predict safety.

Music that you choose yourself is often less distracting than music that is forced upon you. Drivers often choose music to regulate mood and excitement, which can stabilize their driving.

Instead, some experiments show that music chosen or imposed by researchers leads to worse performance: more crashes and violations, especially when drivers don’t like the music.

So it’s not just the music itself that affects your driving, but your relationship with it. Familiar or favorite music can often maintain moods and reduce stress without adding too much mental load.

Inexperienced drivers are more affected

Inexperienced drivers are more likely to be distracted by music.

A study of drivers aged 20 to 28 found that less experienced drivers were more likely to be distracted by music than experienced drivers. When music is played – especially upbeat, “happy” music – inexperienced drivers are more likely to speed.

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This was not the case for experienced drivers, suggesting that their experience acted as a buffer.

Another experiment found that exposing young drivers to more aggressive types of music, such as metal or certain folk-pop styles, led to higher speeds, more driving errors, and less attention to road signs.

For novice drivers, fast-paced music increases their mental load and reduces their ability to detect hazards. This means their reactions are slower or less accurate.

On the other hand, slow music does not increase the mental burden on inexperienced drivers and may even moderately improve their ability to respond to hazards.

So what does this mean for my driving?

For most people, familiar songs, calm genres, and moderate volumes tend to create the least amount of disruption while still keeping you alert and in a good mood.

Tracks that are very loud, unfamiliar, or aggressive are most likely to increase your speed, distract you, or overload your mind.

But if you’re a new driver, try turning down the volume or even turning off the music in more demanding conditions.