The Safe-Driving and Other Benefits of Using an IPod Shuffle-Style MP3 Player for Car Audio

Driving safely is made harder by many forms of technology today. For example, phone calls and text messages can distract drivers, making them take their eyes off the road. However, there is one piece of technology that can help you be a safer driver. Using a first- or second-generation iPod Shuffle, or an analogous non-Apple device, can help you drive safely.

Few people use tape players in cars today. Some use CD players, but these will decrease in popularity as the popularity of the CD continues to decline. A number of aftermarket products for mp3 players are on the market now so that mp3 players can be used to supply music during car rides. The problem with using most mp3 players in a car is that you have to look at a screen to know what song or artist you are selecting. Even if you are distracted for only two to three seconds, that is enough time to cause an accident or fatality.

The advantage of using an iPod Shuffle-style device while driving is that you don't have to look away from the road while selecting a song. You can select and skip songs by pressing a button, rather than taking your eyes off the road to scroll with a wheel. While you could do the same thing with any mp3 player set to shuffle, there is a much greater chance that you would tempted to select specific songs by sight. If you want to hear a specific song with a Shuffle-style device, you can advance to it by changing the play order to alphabetical by artist with the flick of a switch.

Another advantage of using a Shuffle-like mp3 player while driving is that you are more likely to select only the songs that you like enough to want to listen to while driving. It's unlikely that you need 120GB of musical variety for anything less than a cross-country road trip, much less for an hour-long commute. However, 1-2GB, or 200-400 songs, should last for one or two weeks before being changed out for different music.

The battery life of these devices is also notable. Because they do not have a screen or backlight to power, these mp3 players can go for a week or more with regular use without being charged. This is nice in case you ever forget to charge your mp3 player, as you will not be forced to make your commute without your favorite music. Likewise, these devices are quite affordable, with almost all of them being available for less than $100.

I use a second-generation 1GB iPod Shuffle with a tape adapter in my car. This combination cost roughly $90. I have had much success with this setup, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a low-cost, easy-to-use audio setup for his or her car. If you have any similar suggestions for technology that can make driving safer, please leave your thoughts in the form of a comment. Thank you for reading!