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Motorists say listening to music helps boost concentration
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Motorists have objected to the Jakarta Police traffic division’s recent idea of criminalizing listening to music or the radio while driving. (Bloomberg/File)
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otorists have objected to the Jakarta Police traffic division’s recent idea of criminalizing listening to music or the radio while driving because such activity could, according to the police, disturb motorists’ concentration.
A private employee, Ardan Adhi Chandra, said that instead of disturbing his concentration, listening to music while driving kept him alert.
“I actually do not really hear the songs. I turn on the music to keep me awake, because I hear noise,” said the 23-year-old resident of Matraman in East Jakarta.
Another motorist, Raditya Bumi, 26, concurred, claiming that listening to music while driving could boost his concentration and dispel drowsiness.
“I deplore the traffic police’s interpretation of the law on traffic and land transportation [which says that listening to music while driving is against the law],” Raditya said separately.
Traffic division chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Budiyanto said recently that listening to music, watching television and smoking while driving could disrupt motorists’ concentration.
Article 106 of Law No. 22/2009 on traffic and land transportation stipulates that every motorist must drive with full concentration.
Anyone violating the law can be sentenced to three months in jail and fined up to Rp 750,000 (US$54.50).
Both Ardan and Raditya hoped that the police could reconsider their decision to criminalize listening to music.
Budiyanto said that he had yet to impose the sanction on motorists violating the law because the police were currently disseminating the information to the public.
