Study claims that ‘Frosty the Snowman’ is the riskiest Christmas song of all for drivers

Playing festive Christmas music while trimming the tree at home may get you into the holiday spirit, but if you are driving, change the station. Listening to high-tempo tunes of the season while behind the wheel may put you at greater risk of engaging in hazardous maneuvers or getting in a crash.

Research from the South China University of Technology found that songs with 120 or more beats per minute — defined as the pace of music, which is measured by the number of beats in a 60-second window — have psychological and cardiovascular effects that increase the likelihood of motorists to engage in dangerous driving habits, which can lead to increased risk of a crash.

“As the holiday season approaches, it’s important to recognize how music influences our driving habits,” said Max Coupland, CEO of Insuranceopedia, an insurance comparison website. “While festive tunes bring joy, some high-energy or distracting songs can impact our focus on the road.”

The university’s research, published in 2019 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, found drivers listening to light music — about 80 beats per minute or fewer — or no music at all changed lanes about 70 times an hour, while those listening to rock music made the maneuver up to 140 times. Drivers listening to rock also drove between 5 mph and 10 mph faster on average than those who didn’t.

In short, researchers found that tunes with 120 beats or more per minute were associated with motorists taking more risks, which can lead to an increased chance of a crash.

Drawing on that research, Insuranceopedia analyzed some of the season’s most popular hits and, based on their beats per minute, identified the Christmas songs that are the most dangerous to listen to while driving.

Topping Insuranceopedia’s list is the well-known and beloved tune “Frosty the Snowman,” which has the words “thumpty thump thump” in the chorus and a whopping 172 beats per minute. The 1950s tune “has both mental and physical effects that can lower your ability to drive safely,” Coupland said.

Pop star Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” came in as the second-most dangerous melody, clocking in at 150 beats per minute, with “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” third at 147. Other jingles such as “Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” (147), “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” (142) and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (137) made Insuranceopedia’s top 10 list.

Of course, other factors beyond beats per minute can lead to distracted or erratic driving. Researchers pointed out that volume, genre, driver temperament, road environment and traffic conditions need to be accounted for to determine the true effect, they said.

“The published research article seems interesting and may have some merit,” said Curtis Craig, a researcher at the University of Minnesota’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. “But Insuranceopedia is overselling the conclusions.”

So go ahead and listen to your holiday favorites, as the season is short this year, because there are even faster songs that may induce reckless driving. That includes Moby’s 1993 dance single “Thousand,” which once was listed by Guinness World Records as having the fastest beats per minute, peaking at 1,015.