By: Norissa S. 
Have you ever found yourself turning down the music in your car while searching for a parking spot in a busy lot? It’s as if the music being lowered somehow makes me more alert and able to find an empty parking spot. For me, this is enough evidence to conclude that music can be a distraction.

Driving is not the most exciting thing and while I would rather be chauffeured around the city, I do not have that luxury. For me, music is one thing that makes long drives or traffic jams somewhat bearable. Even while driving with friends, music is something that enhances our experience together. Listening to our favorite new song at full blast is often the highlight of our night. But what are the dangers associated with this?

 Well for starters, the very act of selecting a song from a device requires one to take their eyes off the road. It’s impossible for the human brain to fully focus on two thinking tasks simultaneously. This is sometimes referred to as the myth of multitasking. People often think they can focus on multiple things at once but it isn’t true. The human brain can only handle a certain amount of information before it starts leaving things out.  This is referred to as cognitive load. In addition to not being able to fully focus on the road, extremely loud music can drown out other important sounds on the road such as emergency vehicles, or the horns of other vehicles. This could result in a collision.

 Unfortunately, many people do not take driving seriously and do not give it their full attention. In Ontario, it is illegal to operate hand-held communication or entertainment devices while driving. It is also illegal to view any screens that are unrelated to your driving (Ministry of Transportation Ontario). Doing so may result in a fine, license suspension and/or demerit points. For more information about distracted driving, please visit www.mto.gov.on.ca.