Beware! Ten most ‘dangerous Christmas songs to drive to’ may surprise you

Beware! That Christmas channel on the radio might be the reason you get pulled over for speeding this holiday season.

Irish vehicle insurance company Chill Insurance conducted a study that revealed there are at least ten jaunty Christmas tunes that might put you on the naughty list this year, if you make the mistake of driving while listening to them.

The study is based on the BPM (beats per minute) of the song. Music with higher BPMs are linked to more dangerous driving, and songs with over 120 BPM most so.

Below is the list of songs that may or may not cause drivers some trouble:

  1. Gene Autry, ‘Frosty the Snowman’, 172 BPM
  2. Mariah Carey, ‘All I want For Christmas’, 150 BPM
  3. José Feliciano, ‘Feliz Navidad’, 149 BPM
  4. Jackson 5, ‘Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town’, 147 BPM
  5. John Lennon and Yoko Ono, ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’, 146 BPM
  6. Frank Sinatra, ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!’, 143 BPM
  7. Gene Autry, ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’, 142 BPM
  8. Wizzard, ‘I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day’, 140 BPM
  9. Judy Garland, ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’, 137 BPM
  10. Jackson 5, ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’, 129 BPM

Fear not, however, for there is also a list of the safest songs to drive to as well, meaning they are all under 120 BPM:

  1. The Pogues, ‘Fairytale of New York,’ 78 BPM
  2. Eartha Kitt, ‘Santa Baby’ 84 BPM
  3. Julie Andrews, ‘Hark! The Herald Angels Sing’, 87 BPM
  4. Paul McCartney, ‘Wonderful Christmastime’, 95 BPM
  5. Michael Buble, ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas’, 95 BPM
  6. WHAM!, ‘Last Christmas,’ 108 BPM
  7. Dean Martin, ‘Winter Wonderland’, 111 BPM
  8. Bing Crosby, ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, 113 BPM
  9. Leona Lewis, ‘One More Sleep’, 113 BPM
  10. Band Aid, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas,’ 115 BPM

It may sound ridiculous to suggest that a fast-paced song might make one a more risky driver, but it is one rooted in science.

Fast tempos have been linked to unintentional speeding, and they increase heart rate and dull reaction times. All of these are not ideal when you’re on the road with hundreds if not thousands of other drivers. Rock songs, and most specifically “Back in Black” by legendary band AC/DC has a BPM of 188, making it one of the most dangerous to jam out to on the road. “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus has a shocking 192 BPM, so one should set their cruise control before pressing play on their Spotify playlist.

All in all, attentive driving regardless of music and other distractions saves lives. If you find yourself too engrossed in what’s on the radio, be sure to turn the music down (or off, if need be) and check your speedometer. Nothing says “you’re getting a lump of coal this year” like getting a ticket for listening to holiday music!

Sierra Marlee

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