Don’t drive to music over 120bpm says study
You may want to stop listening to music over 120bpm while driving, a study shows.
A study conducted at the South China University of Technology found that listening to fast music while driving increases recklessness.
Participants in the study- conducted earlier this year- were placed in a driving simulator for 20, tasked with driving down a six-lane road while listening to music of varying tempos or silence.
Drivers changed lanes 70 times in a 20-minute period however those who listened to faster music changed lanes 140 times and travelled an average of 5mph above the speed limit.
“Perceived mental workload, standard deviation of speed and frequency of lane crossing were higher when driving under the influence of rock music than that when driving under the influence of light music or an absence of music,” said lead researcher Qiang Zeng.
Need for Speed
So, which tracks are the most dangerous to listen to while driving?
- Clocking in at 189 bpm, American Idiot by Green Day proved to be the most dangerous track to listen to while driving.
- Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus
- Brightside by The Killers
- Don’t Let Me Down by the Chainsmokers
- Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen
At the other end of the scale, the top 5 safest songs were:
- Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin (63 bpm)
- Under the Bridge by The Red Hot Chili Peppers
- God’s Plan by Drake
- Africa by Toto
- Location by Khalid
About the results, Lead researcher Qiang Zeng, said: “The findings are useful for the development of effective driver education strategies — in particular, a publicity programme that could enhance public awareness of the negative impact of music listening on driving performance.”
I guess it’s time to swop out music over 120 bpm for some slower (and apparently safer) jams.
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