It may be hard for teen drivers to turn down Miley Cyrus’ anthem “We Can’t Stop” whenever it comes on the radio. If they don’t turn off the radio while driving, though, students may not be able to stop themselves from thinking more about the music than their driving.

Even with both eyes on the road, teens especially can easily be distracted while driving and listening to music. It’s easy to start thinking about the words in a song rather than what’s written on a street sign, and tapping your foot to the beat of a song causes a slower reaction time to step on the breaks. It is imperative teenage drivers turn off the radio when they get out on the road to ensure their own safety and the safety of other drivers.

In a September 2013 study conducted at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, researchers assessed the mistakes made by 85 teenagers while driving and listening to music.

The study found teenage drivers are extremely distracted while listening to music from a playlist of their choice as opposed to a random playlist of music or no music at all.

In the study, 98 percent of drivers made errors an average of three times during their drive; 32 percent needed a verbal warning to prevent a collision, and 20 percent of drivers needed a passenger to intervene by grabbing the steering wheel.

According to Dr. Warren Brodsky, the survey’s conductor and director of music science research at Ben-Gurion University, most teenagers listen to loud, fast-paced music, which is more distracting than quieter, slower music.

Because of the combination of high volume and quick tempo, drivers absentmindedly prioritize listening to music over watching the road, even more than what’s going on outside their cars.

In order to protect themselves and everyone else on the road, teens should consider music as serious a distraction as texting or talking on the phone while driving. Even though listening to the radio or a playlist is a largely hands-free activity, it can nonetheless draw attention away from the road.

In order to avoid potential accidents, drivers, particularly teenagers, should refrain from listening to music while on the road. Safety is more important than a new hit single on the radio.