Can Loud Music Cause Car Accidents?

On May 15, 1971, Pink Floyd played a concert at Crystal Palace Gardens in London that resulted in the death of all of the fish and water lilies in a pond on the premises of the concert venue.  The real cause of extinction event may have been a gas leak from the inflatable octopus that the bands set designers had positioned above the pond (this was several years before Pink Floyd’s inflatable pigs became the cause of yet more legal trouble), but it did not take long before rumors started to circulate about the fish dying simply because the music was so loud.  That was 52 years ago, and since then, music has only gotten louder.  Besides the loudness wars, where modern recording technology makes music sound loud even when you play it at a relatively low volume, car stereos have evolved such that your car can be your own personal DJ booth, minus the turntables.  How dangerous is it to operate a music festival on wheels, and what does the law say about it?  If you have been injured in a car accident where loud music in one of the cars involved was a contributing factor, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer.

South Carolina Car Stereo Laws

In South Carolina, it is illegal to modify your car’s sound system so that it can make sounds louder than what the law allows for car stereo systems.  If one of the drivers in the accident had made illegal modifications to the car’s sound system, this could increase the driver’s percentage of fault for the accident.  This is consistent with the legal principle where, if a driver eschews the safety features which are standard in current vehicle models in order to give the car a vintage look, this can lead to additional liability if the driver gets into an accident that results in injuries.

Loud Music and Distracted Driving

Even if the at fault driver did not modify the car stereo system but was playing it at a high volume, this could still add to the percentage of fault that the loud music bumping driver bears for the accident.  South Carolina’s distracted driving laws only explicitly mention cell phone conversations and texting, but case law and common sense agree that cell phones are not the only thing that can make it difficult to concentrate on the road.  The louder your music is, the less likely you are to hear another car approaching, especially now that there are so many electric cars and hybrid vehicles in our midst, and these cars are very quiet.  When filing a police report or insurance claim, be sure to tell the police officer or insurance claims adjuster about the loud music.

Let Us Help You Today

The car accident lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you file an insurance claim or lawsuit related to a car accident caused by a car with a thunderous sound system.  Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.

Sources:

yourmechanic.com/article/the-guide-to-legal-car-modifications-in-south-carolina-by-valerie-mellema

flypaper.soundfly.com/discover/on-this-day-in-1971-pink-floyd-received-a-bill-for-thousands-of-dead-fish/