When doctor Vishal Patel was browsing Spotify in his car, searching for songs from Taylor Swift's new album, he suddenly realized that he had lost his lane while driving.
Many drivers go through this situation, as they are busy searching for the perfect song to add to their playlist.
So Patel, a physician at MassGeneral Brigham Health System and a researcher at Harvard Medical School, decided to investigate whether deaths from car accidents rise when new albums by major artists are released.
More than 35,000 people die each year in car accidents in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, while millions are injured.
In 2022, 3,308 deaths were recorded resulting from traffic accidents due to distracted driving.
A new study conducted by Patel, published in the journal JAMA Network Open on Monday, revealed that traffic accident deaths increased by 15% on the days when new albums by prominent artists were released, compared to the days immediately before and after their release.
New music...more use of phones
Patel said studying distracted driving is “very difficult,” as most research relies on testimonies from drivers themselves or on simulated driving experiences.
The researchers found that the release of new albums by popular artists also coincides with an increase in phone use in general, and this may be due in part to the tendency of listeners to play albums on their phones.
In the study, the researchers relied on a time window of 10 days before and 10 days after the album was released, to avoid the possibility that the increase in incidents was linked to certain days of the week.
They also analyzed fatal accidents, taking into account the age of the drivers, the involvement of alcohol, the number of passengers in the car, and the year the vehicle was manufactured.
To collect the data, the researchers turned to the Traffic Fatality Analysis System (FARS), which tracks fatal car accidents on public roads in the United States, along with daily data on listening to music on Spotify, which is used by about 29% of Americans aged 12 and over.
Deaths increase on album release days
The days of album release examined in the study saw about 18 additional deaths compared to other days.
The average number of deaths resulting from car accidents was 121 deaths on days when albums were not released, compared to 139 deaths on days when albums were released.
The increase in fatalities was greater among younger drivers than among older drivers.
The researchers acknowledged that the increase in deaths on the day of music album releases may also be related to other factors, noting that Spotify is not the only music platform used by drivers.
Patel explained that the Traffic Fatality Analysis System (FARS) data documents deaths resulting from car accidents, but it does not show whether the driver was using his phone at the moment of the accident.
The study does not address the effect of album release on non-fatal traffic accidents, but it took into account federal holidays, which in turn witness an increase in car accident deaths.
In turn, Patel explained that the aim of the study is not to call on people to stop listening to music while driving, but rather that “the idea is simply that accidents are predictable these days.”
Maintaining focus in light of increasing distractions
For years, the debate about distracted driving has focused on texting and making phone calls, said Dr. Despina Stavrinos, director of the Institute for Social Science Research at the University of Alabama.
But modern technology has expanded the scope of drivers' interactions with their phones, to also include navigation apps, voice assistants, and social media.
Stephanie Payne, a professor of psychology at Texas A&M University, who was not involved in the new study, said that drivers can reduce distractions while driving by turning off their phones, putting them in a bag out of reach, activating “Do Not Disturb” mode, or having a passenger use the phone when needed.
“We rely so heavily on our phones for communication and information, which makes it difficult to be away from them for long periods of time,” Payne said.
Dr. Christopher Worsham, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and one of the authors of the new study, said other studies have looked at the possibility that music can be a source of distraction, but he noted that driving in silence is not a realistic option for many people.
“Our study suggests that the danger here is not listening to music, but rather being distracted by the phone or the car’s infotainment system,” Worsham explained.
He added: "Have your music playlist ready before you set off, and leave it playing until such time as you can safely change it."
