Safe and sound… the impact music has on driving behaviour laid bare by latest research

Motorists who listen to music while driving could be disrupting the harmony on Britain’s roads, according to latest research.

A survey of 1,004 motorists, commissioned by the UK’s leading independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, has revealed that two-thirds (69 per cent) of motorists believe that having loud music on while driving can be distracting.

The survey also revealed that (36 per cent) of motorists believe that listening to music while driving has an impact on how fast they drive.Meanwhile, two thirds (62 per cent) of respondents said that they turn off music when confused or stressed.

Despite drivers reporting such issues, nearly nine-in-ten (89 per cent) of survey respondents stated they listen to music while driving – meaning potentially millions of UK motorists’ ability to drive is being negatively impacted by music.

The findings come in the wake of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) recent findings which revealed that distracted drivers were a contributing factor in 16,333 road incidents in 2021, with 3,700 of these distractions coming from inside of the vehicle. Furthermore, speeding was found to kill or seriously injure 22,130 road users on Britain’s roads, in 2021 alone.

Neil Greig, Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart, commented: “Distracted drivers and speeding are two of the biggest contributing factors in road collision and deaths. While there are a multitude of reasons why these tragic events occur, our survey has shone a light on perhaps a less apparent reason as to why drivers may become distracted or exceed the speed limit.”

To learn more about IAM RoadSmart, visit www.iamroadsmart.com.