A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that traffic deaths increase significantly when highly popular albums are released. Dr. Vishal Patel of Harvard Medical School and his colleagues compared US traffic deaths on the release dates of 10 of the most-streamed albums between 2017 and 2022 with those recorded in the 10 days before and after.
On release days, music streaming was 43% higher, while traffic deaths were 15% higher. In total, there were 139 deaths on release days, compared with 121 on surrounding days.
The study does not prove that streaming caused the increase or that the drivers involved were listening to music. However, the authors noted that "these findings suggest that music streaming via smartphones is associated with distracted driving and traffic deaths".
Possible distractions include the phone, the vehicle's entertainment system, or the music itself. The researchers raised a broader safety question: as music streaming becomes more accessible while driving, could the convenience bring with it a hidden risk?
