Abstract
This study investigated how music tempo impacted drivers’ fatigue and quality of attention in a long-distance monotonous highway environment. Sixteen drivers were enrolled in four sessions of real-road driving tests under the following four music conditions: no music, slow tempo, medium tempo and fast tempo. Specifically, the drivers’ electroencephalogram parameters and eye movement parameters were recorded to measure their extent of fatigue and quality of attention, respectively. Of the three tempos, medium-tempo music is the best choice to reduce fatigue and maintain attention for a long-distance driving. Slow-tempo music can temporarily boost the quality of attention, but after a long period of driving, it significantly deteriorates the driver’s levels of fatigue and attention. Fast-tempo music helps relieve driver fatigue but significantly deteriorates drivers’ attention after an extended driving time. This study offered practical references for drivers regarding the use of music to avoid fatigue, maintain attention and improve their driving safety. Based on previous theories of music and driving, we have explored the underlying mechanism of how music tempo maintains the alertness of drivers.
Highlights
Vehicles have become one of the most natural acoustic environments for listening to music
We found that the effects on the fatigue status and attention level of drivers differed among the four music tempos
This study focused on the relationships between two dependent variables and an independent variable
Summary
Vehicles have become one of the most natural acoustic environments for listening to music. CDs, smartphones and other mobile devices, such as the iPod, provide very convenient ways of listening to music while driving (Bedinger, 2016). Long-term driving on a monotonous road often induces boredom, fatigue, drowsiness and inattention. Listening to music has become the most common accompaniment for drivers to reduce boredom and maintain attention. According to the theory of compensation control, listening to music counteracts drivers’ fatigue, which thereby improves the effects of self-control strategies in driving safety (U€ nal, Platteel, Steg, & Epstude, 2013). Despite its wide acceptance, listening to music is not always safe for drivers (Patel, Ball, & Jones, 2008). The properties of different music elements may have different effects on the driver but have not been fully investigated
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
