Listening to music in your car ‘distracts you, slows reaction times and stresses you out’
University study finds looking away from where the music is coming from can cause the brain to lose concentration
PUMPING out the hits in your car can cause you to lose concentration behind the wheel, boffins have revealed.
Scientists from University College London (UCL) found listening to music while driving can slow reaction times and increase stress.
The problems were worse when volunteers were looking away from the speakers.
The report said averting your eyes just a few degrees from the audio source could have a major impact on brain activity.
Scientists believe our brains are wired to expect what we're looking at to match up with what we're hearing.
Any break in this link forces your brain to work overtime causing your to lose focus from the task at hand.
The "speaker syndrome" is even more pronounced on elderly people or those with hearing problems.
The latest UCL study supports previous research in Israel that suggests music could be distracting - especially different styles.
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Music that we listen to while dancing, eating and exercising is not necessarily right for safe driving.
Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: "This bears out previous research from Israel which confirms what we always knew – the wrong kind of music can make you a bad driver!
"The distraction potential of different sound sources and high speed music sounds is a topic all new drivers need to be aware of.
"Choosing the right music could be just as important as putting on your seatbelt or checking your mirrors before you set off."