Posted on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2017 at 12:53 am
You pull up next to a vehicle at a traffic light with music blaring so loud it shakes the car. You can feel the thumping of the bass as much as hear it. Not only is this annoying, but it can be distracting as well. If you want to avoid a car accident, turn down your music and tell your teen drivers to do the same.
Listening to music while driving can be dangerous. When you turn up the music extra loud to rock out to your favorite song, you put yourself and others at risk. The loud music may make it impossible to hear a horn or siren that would alert you to the need to stop or pull over. It’s not enough to be able to see your surroundings while on the road; you must be able to hear them as well.
Writing in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, researchers said, ““Drivers underestimate in-car distraction from activities, which are widely acceptable but not necessarily safe, involving a range of mundane activities such as simply listening to music.” Teens may be particularly susceptible to the distractions caused by listening to music while driving.
What If I Don’t Play My Music Loud While I’m Driving?
Music can be distracting in other ways, too. One problem is channel-surfing, which has become worse thanks to the hundreds of channels available on satellite radio. You could be hunting for the station with the perfect song to fit your mood and look away from the road long enough to cause an accident. You could rear-end someone or fail to stop at a red light because you looked away for just a minute to turn from SXM to FM or your iPhone. A CD player poses another risk because you focus on switching out the CD which causes you to take your focus off the road. As you fumble with the CD jacket, you may not notice the bicycle that darted out in front of you.
Another issue with music is that it can cause you to “zone out.” You may be listening to the lyrics, singing along, and fail to notice other vehicles and pedestrians around you. Some music may even make you sleepy, causing you to be less alert as you drive.
The bottom line is that if you listen to music while driving, it should be at a lower level so you can hear other sounds around you. Pay attention to your surroundings, and don’t get distracted by changing radio stations or finding the perfect song on your smartphone or another Bluetooth-connected device. For parents, continue to lecture your teen driver about turning the music down or off while he or she is behind the wheel of a vehicle. As you eliminate distractions while driving, you and everyone else around you will be safer on the road.
Contact an Experienced Sacramento Distracted Driving Accident Attorney
If a distracted driver has injured you, you deserve to receive compensation for your injuries. We want to help! Contact the Sacramento distracted driving car accident attorneys of the Tiemann Law Firm by calling (916) 999-9000 or by chatting with a representative on our website. Our personal injury attorneys serve clients in Sacramento, Folsom, Roseville, El Dorado Hills and other communities in the greater Sacramento area.
