The most – and least – dangerous songs to drive to, according to researchers in a new study, have been revealed.
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According to analysis by South China University Of Technology, songs with a fast tempo of 120BPM or higher are more likely to make you drive faster and risk dangerous manoeuvres.
The study involved drivers negotiating their way along a simulated six-lane motorway either in silence or while listening to a range of music. The average number of times the participants switched lanes in 20 minutes was 70 times.
That number doubled when the drivers were listening to rock music. Researchers also found that their speed increased by an average of 5 miles per hour above the limit with rock on the stereo.
According to the results, Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ is the most dangerous song to listen to while driving. Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway To Heaven’, meanwhile, is the least dangerous.
The top five most dangerous songs to drive to are as follows:
Green Day – ‘American Idiot’
Miley Cyrus – ‘Party In The USA’
The Killers – ‘Mr Brightside’
The Chainsmokers – ‘Don’t Let Me Down’
Bruce Springsteen – ‘Born To Run’
The five least dangerous songs to drive to are:
Led Zeppelin – ‘Stairway To Heaven’
Red Hot Chili Peppers – ‘Under The Bridge’
Drake – ‘God’s Plan’
Toto – ‘Africa’
Khalid – ‘Location’
“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,” lead researcher Qiang Zeng said of the study.
Meanwhile, Green Day are set to release a new album next year. ‘Father Of All…’ will be released in February 2020 and will precede the ‘Hella Mega’ tour, featuring the punk trio, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, and The Interrupters.