Music is a must for young drivers, researchers say

A new study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers resulted in a nearly unanimous response: driving is “absolutely impossible” without music.

“To young drivers 18-29, music in the car isn’t just entertainment, it’s part of their autosphere whether they’re alone or not,” says Prof. Warren Brodsky, director of the BGU Music Science Lab in the Department of the Arts. “They are so used to constant stimulation and absorbing great amounts of information throughout the day, that they don’t question how the type of tunes they play might affect concentration, induce aggressive behavior, or cause them to miscalculate risky situations.” …

According to the study published in APA’s journal Psychomusicology: Music, Mind and Brain, 140 young adults responded to a 67-item questionnaire exploring how drivers engage with music while driving. Ironically, most of the respondents (80%) claimed it was not only “difficult,” but sometimes “near impossible” to concentrate on traffic and road conditions without music playing. And once they arrive, most of the respondents will stay in their car at their destination until the song ends.

By American Associates, Ben-Gurion University