Trail Mix: The Definitive Playlist for Long Haul Driving - Strong Tie Insurance Services

Trail Mix: The Definitive Playlist for Long Haul Driving

Strong Tie Insurance May 14, 2020 StrongtieInsurance

Long Haul trucking requires seemingly endless hours behind the wheel. Depending on your route, you might even feel like the scenery just blends together. It’s not uncommon to fill these long hours with some music. People have been listening to music during their commutes for as long as it’s been an option, and it makes sense.

Of course, listening to the right music is an essential part of any journey. Listening to the wrong music could lead to being distracted or even causing an accident. The last thing you want is for your commercial trucking insurance prices to go up simply because you couldn’t pick the right station. While your insurance company isn’t going to base your insurance quotes on your taste in music, they do want to make sure you’re safe for every trip down the highway.

Here’s what you need to know about selecting the right music to help pass the time during your long haul trucking adventures:

Music Can Impact How You Drive

The question of how music impacts drivers has been an enormous focus of studies. There is useful data to suggest that music can have an impact. While everyone is entitled to their personal taste of music, there are some common themes that make some songs more appropriate for the road than others.

Negative Feelings Results in Negative Driving

The way you feel about a particular song can impact the way you drive. A study from the UK found that listening to music that you don’t like can cause unneeded stress. It can also be distracting, which can result in losing focus on the road ahead. Even being on the wrong station might result in skipping songs, switching channels, or other activities that can cause dangerous distractions.

Tempo is Important

The tempo of a song is typically how fast it moves. Songs with faster speeds tend to make the listener more excited. While a quicker tempo playlist might be ideal for making sure your morning runs move at your desired pace, they’re not always a good idea while driving. The excitement that comes with upbeat songs can lead to driving faster or more aggressive to keep up with the beat.

On the other hand, slower tempo music isn’t necessarily ideal either. Slower songs can make you relax too much. While being comfortable is a good thing on a long drive, being too relaxed can cause problems. This is especially true during long haul trucking trips when you start to get tired and can possibly fall asleep.

Instead of listening to music that is too fast or too slow, the perfect Goldilocks situation is to listen to music with a tempo of 60 to 80 beats per minute. This tempo closely relates to the typical heartbeat. A little bit of variety is significant, but you want to keep most of your music within this range.

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Music is More Accessible Than Ever

In the old days of long haul trucking, you were confined to whichever cassettes or CDs you owned mixed with local radio stations. As you move across cities and states, radio stations continuously change, and no one wants to necessarily listen to the same old music over and over again.

Luckily, technology has made it easier to get the music you want wherever you are. Most trucks have the ability to plug a device into the standard radio. If not, it’s a pretty easy upgrade. Some truck audio systems even allow for a bluetooth connection. You can simply load up a music device with tons of great music and keep it with you wherever you go.

It’s also easier to stream music today than it’s ever been before. You can use a variety of free or paid apps on your smartphone to play music. You could also go for satellite radio that gives you tons of options. You have the ability to create your own playlists, listen to user-created playlists, or stick to music by genre, similar artist, or more. There are even playlists out there meant for road trips that adhere to the right tempo. The trick is to make or find the right one for you.

The Ultimate Playlist

It’s worth mentioning that everyone’s musical preferences vary. There may not be such a thing as the perfect playlist for every long haul trucker, but there are some songs that seem appropriate due to the nature of your job. Your playlist might look and sound completely different, and it’s never a bad idea to mix things up from time to time so long as you don’t hate the music you’re hearing.

Country Roads by John Denver

“Country Roads, take me home to the place I belong. West Virginia, mountain mamma. Take me home, country roads.”

Asphalt Cowboy by Blake Shelton

“Climbing back behind the wheel of 50 feet of chrome and steel and a load they need in Chicago. Through the middle of the night unknown, I’m on a ride unknown.”

Passenger by Iggy Pop

“Get into the car. We’ll be the passenger. We’ll ride through the city tonight.”

Addicted to Diesel” by Jayne Denham

“Got adrenaline pumping to a rumbling sound. I’m leaning on the hammer, picking up speed. I’m a highway junky. There’s a gypsy in me.”

18 Wheeler by Pink

“You can run over me with your eighteen-wheelers, but you can’t keep me down.”

Just Cruising by Will Smith

“Where, baby, I don’t care as long as you take me there. Somewhere to clear my mind. Just cruising.”

Listening to the Right Music Can Save You on Commercial Trucking Insurance

Keeping the right music pumping through your truck’s cab can help keep you focused and awake during your long drive. While there is no special playlist that will lower your insurance quote, avoiding accidents and citations will help.

Just like selecting the right music can make your drive safer and more fun, picking the right insurance company can help you drive with more confidence. Your insurance plan protects your company and your livelihood in case the unexpected happens. Find a commercial insurance company that resonates with your business and call Strong Tie Insurance for your free quote today.