A new study has shown that drivers who belt out loud, fast-paced music on their car stereos are at a higher risk of having a accident.

Loud music can cut a driver's reaction time by up to 20%, the research says.


The RAC Foundation has responded by publishing a list of the top five most dangerous tunes to play while driving - including Prodigy's Firestarter.

It has also published a list of several songs that should promote safer driving, such as Blue's Breathe Easy.

We asked you what music you listened to when you were driving? Would you change your listening habits to be safer on the roads? Are you a safe driver regardless of what music you listen to? And could you get by without any music at all in your car?

Here's a selection of the best emails:

Driving is laborious and boring enough without being monopolised about what you can and cannot listen to in your car. No matter what volume, music creates a much better driving environment for the individual behind the wheel.
Ben Anthonisz, London

Maybe you have a point - listening to mellow music probably would cause less accidents. But if you made me listen to Blue, I would deliberately crash my car into the closest inanimate object!
Greg Sharp, Nottingham

I listen to The Stone Roses, reggae and punk tunes such as The Clash and The Pistols. But I don't find that it affects my driving at all. If anything it enhances it!
Jimmy Robinson, Essex

Another useless study. Young drivers listen to a lot of loud music and they also have accidents. But that is not the point. First it is mobile phones because they distract the driver, next it will be the radio and then it will be no passengers and then we will be back to bicycles. Why is it not the large expensive posters at the side of the road like the Kylie Mynogue poster you reported on, or films that show high speed chases?
Ian, Israel

There is absolutely no point in stating the bad/good tunes or telling us that the song you are listening to is bad for driving. The more you tell us what to listen the more we'll ignore you!
Arfan Rasool, Rochdale

Music aids my concentration when driving, whatever I listen to. I am inclined to disagree that loud, fast paced music causes accidents. Bad driving, being unaware of your individual situation and loss of concentration leads to accidents. I am sure that if I did not listen to music or music I did not like, I would be more prone to accidents.
Brian Johnston, Nantwich

The ability of research to point out the blindingly obvious and then firmly grasp the wrong end of the stick never ceases to amaze me. The reason drivers who play Prodigy music loudly have more accidents is because they are often the more inexperienced young drivers in the body-kitted Vauxhall Novas who like to drive fast anyway. Saying the music itself is at fault is a bit like saying gentlemen with HATE tattooed across their knuckles are more likely to get into pub brawls because the tattoo makes them.
Dan Tubb, London

What a load of rubbish. I frequently play Iron Maiden or Metallica tracks while driving and I haven't had any problems with my concentration.
Rav Singh, Reading