Can Your Holiday Playlist Be Riskier Than the Weather?
Every December, personal injury attorneys warn drivers about the same seasonal hazards: icy roads, packed highways, low-sun glare, and fatigued holiday travelers. But every year, there’s another risk that most people overlook, and it’s already playing through your car speakers.
New data shows that many popular Christmas songs can elevate distraction, increase risky driving behaviors, and even influence your speed without you realizing it. And while it sounds harmless, the wrong playlist at the wrong moment can be the difference between getting home safely and ending the night in a crash.
In fact, several studies now confirm that music tempo, loudness, emotional intensity, and lyrical content all affect driver attention and reaction time. Some holiday hits (including classics everyone knows by heart) create the perfect storm for distraction.
So, which Christmas songs are surprisingly dangerous in 2025… and why?
Why Holiday Music Can Increase Crash Risk
1. Tempo (BPM) Drives Behavior
Research by Dr. Rui Li of Jiangnan University found that songs faster than 120 BPM significantly increase risky driving behaviors like speeding, abrupt lane changes, and delayed reaction times. Holiday pop has plenty of these.
On the other hand, very slow songs (under 40 BPM) can induce drowsiness: a different kind of danger.
2. Emotional Lyrics Capture Cognitive Attention
According to research published in i-Perception, emotionally rich or story-driven lyrics compete for brain resources. If your brain locks onto the narrative of a song, your situational awareness drops.
3. “High Energy” Tracks Overstimulate the Brain
Spotify research working with Dr. Emma Gray found that songs in the 60–80 BPM zone help focus, but high-energy, loud, multi-layered songs do the opposite. Intense vocals, synthesized sounds, and complex rhythms overload the nervous system, pulling attention away from scanning the road.
4. Distraction Score: Why BPM Isn’t Everything
Modern music research evaluates songs by multiple factors:
- Energy
- Loudness
- Tempo
- Happiness/Excitability
- Lyrical density and complexity
A song with a modest BPM can still be dangerous if it scores high in other categories. Something especially true for newer holiday remixes and hyper-pop covers.
How the “Driving Distraction Score” Is Calculated
To measure how risky certain Christmas songs can be behind the wheel, researchers analyzed multiple musical factors—not just BPM. The ranking system uses real audio data from iTunes’ Top 100 Christmas songs and includes five key elements:
- Tempo (BPM)
• Energy level
• Loudness
• Happiness/Excitability
• Speechiness (how lyric-heavy a song is)
Each characteristic was pulled from Chosic.com’s audio analysis database, which provides objective measurements of song structure and acoustics.
Researchers then applied a weighted formula to determine each song’s Driving Distraction Score:
- Tempo – 60% (the strongest predictor of risky driving behavior)
- Energy – 20%
- Loudness – 10%
- Speechiness – 5%
- Happiness – –5% (songs that sound “happier” slightly reduce distraction)
The higher the combined score, the more likely the track is to cause speeding, delayed reactions, or cognitive overload while driving.
Case in point: Chill Bae by Lil Uzi Vert ranks as one of the most dangerous driving songs ever tested due to extreme loudness, energy spikes, and emotional stimulation, even though it’s not the fastest track.
The Most Dangerous Christmas Songs to Drive To in 2025
The following songs surpass the 120 BPM “risk threshold” or score extremely high in energy/distractibility metrics. All data is from publicly available BPM research and multiple traffic-behavior analyses.
🚨 1. “Frosty the Snowman” — Gene Autry (172 BPM)
The most dangerous Christmas song on record. A deceptively cheerful tune with a racing tempo and sing-along lyrics that demand attention. Drivers often unconsciously match speed to rhythm.
🚨 2. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” — Andy Williams (202 BPM)
Faster than many EDM tracks. Studies show that uptempo crooner songs with sentimental lyrics create emotional stimulation + speed creep.
🚨 3. “Merry Christmas” — Bing Crosby (202 BPM)
Yes, a Bing Crosby song can be as fast as a club track. Perfect example of a “high BPM disguised as a classic.”
🚨 4. “Santa Tell Me” — Ariana Grande (192 BPM)
Hyper-catchy, percussion-heavy, and vocally dense. Drivers often start “keeping time” with their foot—accidentally speeding.
🚨 5. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” — Mariah Carey (150 BPM)
Instant mood-booster, but a major cognitive distractor. High energy, complex vocals, and emotional lyrics demand attention.
🚨 6. “Feliz Navidad” — José Feliciano (149 BPM)
Repetitive lyrics that get louder and faster as the song progresses. Drivers frequently show delayed braking during this track.
🚨 7. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” — Various Versions (130–160 BPM)
Children’s songs are some of the biggest distractors because of their strong storytelling, call-and-response rhythm, and high speechiness.
🚨 8. “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” (Various Versions, 130–155 BPM)
Uneven tempo + high lyrics involvement = reduced attention. These songs aren’t “bad.” They’re just not optimal behind the wheel, especially during Washington’s winter traffic.
Safer Alternatives: Calmer Christmas Songs for the Road
Research suggests that 60–80 BPM tracks promote calm, focus, and alertness. Switching to lower-energy holiday songs can dramatically reduce distraction and reaction-time delays.
✔ Safer Holiday Options Include:
- “Fairytale of New York” — The Pogues
- “Driving Home for Christmas” — Chris Rea
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” — Frank Sinatra
- “That Spirit of Christmas” — Ray Charles
- “The Christmas Song” — Nat King Cole
- “White Christmas” — Bing Crosby (slow version)
These create a “steady-state focus” without overstimulation.
Disclaimer: This article is meant to highlight interesting data and show how certain musical patterns can influence driver focus. It’s not a warning to panic. There are no documented December crash reports caused solely by listening to Christmas music. And in actual legal practice, it would be a very long stretch for anyone to be found more liable simply because they were listening to a specific track. The goal is simply to reinforce safe-driving habits during a busy season—not to make anyone fearful of their holiday playlist.
Practical Steps to Reduce Music-Related Distraction
Just be Aware
The most important safety tip is this: stay aware of your surroundings. Whether you’re driving, biking, or riding as a passenger, every small decision you make can protect both you and everyone around you. Music matters, weather matters, traffic matters: but awareness is what keeps the entire system safe.
Build a “Safe Driving” Holiday Playlist
Keep high-BPM songs off your default driving playlist. Save the energetic ones for home or parties.
Don’t Adjust Playlists While Driving
Changing songs, skipping tracks, or searching Spotify is considered cognitive + manual distraction.
Keep Volume at a Moderate Level
Loudness increases emotional arousal, which suppresses hazard detection.
Avoid Driving When Emotional
Holiday stress + sentimental songs = delayed reactions.
Parents: Watch for Kids’ Songs
Children’s Christmas music (especially sing-along tracks) demands more attention because:
- kids yell and sing in the backseat
- lyrics require cognitive processing
- catchy rhythms increase speed matching
Final Thoughts from The Advocates
Holiday music is one of the best parts of the season, but it can unintentionally affect your driving. Fast tempos, emotional lyrics, high energy, and loud volume all contribute to distraction, even for experienced drivers.
The safest approach? Enjoy the playlist, but choose the right songs for the road.
Suppose you or a loved one is injured in a collision during the holiday season, whether caused by distracted driving, winter conditions, or another driver’s negligence. In that case, The Advocates are here to help you navigate the process, protect your rights, and get the recovery you deserve.
Drive safe, drive smart, and keep your holiday playlist calm