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Study: Music Affects Driver Safety

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And today's last word in business goes out by special request to people listening in their cars. A new study finds that the music you listen to can affect how safely you drive.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Researchers at London Metropolitan University studied how drivers reacted to different playlists over 500 miles. Some of the safest music, we're told, included tunes by Norah Jones and Elton John. They're soft and slow-paced.

MONTAGNE: Hip-hop, dance and heavy metal music led to more aggressive driving. Subjects listening to classical music drove most erratically.

INSKEEP: Of course. Here's something interesting, also: Coldplay was one of the bands whose music induced safe driving. And this is not the first time that Coldplay has turned up in a study.

MONTAGNE: In 2010, researchers found Coldplay to be the best band to fall asleep to. Uh-oh.

INSKEEP: That doesn't sound especially safe for driving. Let us suggest you make sure you're well-rested before you drive while playing Coldplay. Failing that, you can always just listen to public radio news.

And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

MONTAGNE: And keeping you awake - we hope, anyway - I'm Renee Montagne.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "FIX YOU") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.