Loud music a hazard to concentration

By ELIZABETH BINNING

Listening to loud music while you're driving not only damages your ears - it can seriously hamper reaction times and cause accidents.

And, if your loud music happens to be rap or have a fast tempo, you are twice as likely to crash.

These are the findings of several international studies into the effects of loud music, tempo and the 10 songs most likely to bring on dangerous driving.

The first study, by a Canadian University, found that people who listened to loud music took 20 per cent longer to perform physical and mental tasks.

At 95 decibels, the equivalent to a personal stereo turned up reasonably loud, reaction times drop dramatically, increasing the risk of an accident.

Another study, conducted by an Israeli researcher, found that drivers who listened to fast music took more risks and were twice as likely to have an accident as those who listened to slow or medium paced songs.

When listening to up-tempo pieces, the motorists were twice as likely to jump a red light as those who were not listening to music.

Automobile Association public affairs director George Fairbairn said he was not aware of any similar studies in New Zealand but it was easier for people to become immersed in music while driving these days.

Mr Fairbairn said many cars now had CD players and air-conditioning so people were driving with their windows up and listening to loud music.

This meant they were often oblivious to outside noises such as emergency service vehicles or another person's horn.

"You have got to be very aware ... that your prime function in driving is to concentrate on the driving task and the road ahead and not to become so immersed in the music or enjoyment of it that your concentration wavers from the task."

The Land Transport Safety Authority is aware of the overseas research.

However, authority spokesman Andy Knackstedt said it was unlikely to respond by calling for a ban on motorists listening to music.

Crash figures kept by the authority for 2002 listed 182 injury accidents caused by distractions, of which four were fatal.

However, Mr Knackstedt said it was not known how many were blamed on the car radio as opposed to smoking a cigarette or delving into the glovebox.

British motoring expert Adam Verby has also studied the effects of different music on driving.

He found rap songs were most likely to induce speeding and dangerous driving, while people who listened to pop and rock songs in the car demonstrated the highest levels of concentration.

Mr Verby compiled a list of the top 10 bad driving songs after studying the habits of 100 motorists.

Waikato University driving researcher Dr Samuel Charlton said he believed music was not as demanding on attention as trying to hear what someone was saying so you could answer them.

But 21-year-old Auckland motorist Phillip Austen said the main threat of nine of the 10 tunes listed was how they affected a driver's emotions.

He believed the listed tunes brought on a rebellious attitude to authority and could fuel a driver's anger.

NOISE PARADE

* 1. Eminem Lose Yourself

* 2. Big Brovaz Nu Flow

* 3. Lisa Maffia All Over

* 4. NWA **** the Police

* 5. Mis-teeq Scandalous

* 6. So Solid Crew 21 Seconds

* 7. House Of Pain Jump Around

* 8. Triple 8 Knockout

* 9. 50 Cent The Club

* 10. Beethoven Symphony No 5