Music Driving us to Distraction ? New Research From Allianz Your Cover Lifts the Lid on the Effects of the Music we Listen to in Our Cars

Music Driving us to Distraction ? New Research From Allianz Your Cover Lifts the Lid on the Effects of the Music we Listen to in Our Cars

LONDON, August 30, 2012/PRNewswire/ --

Half (54%) of UK motorists want volume controls enforced on in-car music to stop it
being a driving distraction.



The average driver listens to seven hours of in-car music a week, equating to 13
billion hours[1]of noise pollution on UK roads every year. New research from Allianz Your
Cover Insurance (http://www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk/
[http://www.yourcoverinsurance.co.uk/en/products/car_insurance.html ]) reveals that two
thirds (63%) of car drivers get annoyed by other drivers playing loud music.



Natalie Woods of Allianz Your Cover Insurance said: "Our research found that one in
ten car drivers admit that listening to music has caused them to have or nearly have a car
accident. This rises to nearly one in three amongst 18-24 year-old drivers who have been
side-tracked by music. Singing along to music whilst driving can be fun, but as the
motorists we polled admitted, listening to music in the car can be a distraction. We want
to make sure drivers put their safety needs first."



Jazz and blues fans are the most easily diverted on the roads and a quarter have got
into car accidents by being too tuned into their music. Classical music fans are the most
cautious drivers by not getting too carried away to the beat with only 6% having veered
off course by listening to music.



Drivers play music for an average of 72% of the time they are in the car and over a
quarter (27%) of drivers admit to listening to music every time they are in the car. This
is because they feel it makes the journey go quicker (61%), it's relaxing (47%) and simply
enjoy singing along (42%).



Men are more likely to be entranced by their music as nearly a quarter (22%) of men
have had or nearly had an accident due to listening to music, whereas this has only
happened to 12% of women.



Motorists cited that fellow passengers talking (48%), children (44%) and mobile phones
(41%) also caused them to take their eyes off the road. Nearly one in five drivers
admitted to having a car accident due to talking to their fellow passengers.



Ms. Woods continues "If drivers do find themselves being distracted whilst driving, it
can be worth pulling over and sorting out any in-car issues before carrying on. Although
if an accident does happen on the road, motorists should ensure they have comprehensive
car insurance so they are not left out of pocket."



Notes to Editors



A survey of 1000 UK car drivers was carried out in August 2012 by 72 Point on behalf
of Allianz Your Cover Insurance.



[1] Respondents listen to seven hours of music in their cars a week. Seven x 52 weeks
a year x 37,420,530 UK car drivers = 13,621,072,920



About Your Cover



Your Cover is a new breed of insurance product, offering cover that customers select
to precisely match their own lifestyle and circumstances. Using an easy to use 'Quote and
Buy' website, Your Cover makes it simple to design, obtain a quote and manage your
insurance online.



The result of two years' research involving thousands of insurance buyers, Your Cover
is a product from Allianz Insurance plc, which is a part of the global Allianz Group.



About Allianz



Allianz Insurance is one of the largest general insurers in the UK and part of the
Allianz SE Group, the largest property and casualty insurer worldwide. Reassuringly in
these uncertain financial times, in July 2011 the Standard and Poor's rating for Allianz
Insurance was reaffirmed as AA-with a stable outlook and the rating of Allianz SE was also
reaffirmed as AA with a stable outlook.





Source: www.YourCoverInsurance.co.uk

For further information contact: Katie Donlan/Kate Mallett, Consolidated PR; Tel: +44(0)207-781-2376 / +44(0)207-781-2360; Email: katied@consolidatedpr.com/ katem@consolidatedpr.com


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