# The Songs That Increase Your Road Speed **Table of Contents***[*Expand*]* 1. Speeding, Distraction, and Music’s Role in Car Danger 2. Key Case Study Examples 3. In-Car Touchscreens and Infotainment Centers 4. A Safe-BPM Playlist 5. Volume and Frequency Safety Issues 6. The Varying Influence of Music on Driving As well as providing the soundtrack to the school run, commute, or vacation trip, music has an often surprising effect on driving behavior. A pounding bass line or a high-energy playlist can subtly influence reaction times, following distance, and general road speed (often without the driver’s conscious awareness).  This study from [personal injury lawyer Wettermark Keith](https://wkfirm.com/) draws on driving behavior and traffic safety trends to show that the songs you play in your car influence your speed. It also looks into how using a touchscreen can slow reactions, and how music can lead to danger by obscuring the sound of sirens and horns. First, let’s consider the danger that both speed and distraction represent to the American driver, and the role music plays. ## Speeding, Distraction, and Music’s Role in Car Danger According to 2024 NHTSA data, speeding was a key factor in 11,288 traffic fatalities, 29% of the 39,254 U.S. traffic deaths that year. The 25-34 age group recorded the largest share of speeding-related deaths, ahead of teenage drivers, often the focus of speeding-related safety messaging. Distraction also contributed significant fatality numbers: 3,208, 8% of total traffic deaths. Cellphone users were involved in 437 crashes, 14% of distraction-related fatal crashes. Of those killed in crashes caused by distraction, 41% were distracted drivers, 13% were passengers riding along with a distracted driver, 27% were occupants of another vehicle, and 20% were pedestrians or cyclists. In other words, distracted driving often kills people with no control over the fatal incident. Drivers aged between 21 and 24 were subject to the highest rate of cellphone use in fatal distracted-driving crashes (21%), followed by those aged between 25 and 34 (16%). A peer-reviewed study of young adult driving behavior also suggests that playing music was the most common use of a phone while driving, ahead of reading messages, using GPS, and browsing various websites. This is highly significant for one specific reason: music can (and does) influence driving behavior. Tempo-based research has identified 120 BPM (beats per minute) as a key threshold, with faster songs linked to unconscious acceleration and impulsive decisions. This campaign considers the link between driving and music by focusing on two popular in-car playlists: Spotify’s ‘Top 50 USA’ and ‘Classic Road Trip’. By confirming the BPM of each track on the list, we measure how many go beyond 120 BPM and become a potential driver danger. The analysis reveals that 28 of the 50 Top 50 USA tracks (56%) exceed 120 BPM and feature an overall average tempo of 124 BPM. The Classic Road Trip playlist (which comprises 100 songs) averages 121.4 BPM; 53 tracks (53%) exceed the threshold. The same song is the fastest example on both playlists: Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”, which has a tempo of 204 BPM (tied with one other 204 BPM song). The slowest song on the Classic Road Trip playlist is The Cars’ “Drive” (56 BPM), with Whiskey Myers’ “Broken Window Serenade” the slowest on the Top 50 list (75 BPM). That means there’s a spread of over 100 BPM across all the songs drivers listen to on both playlists. All the songs on the playlists are incredibly popular and are regularly streamed millions of times during commutes and road trips (both on and off these playlists), making the potential influence of song tempo a widespread issue. Research also tells us that drivers who listen to their own curated playlists are more prone to speeding, aggressive driving, and weaving than those who listen to less-personal, more neutral tracks. Beloved music is also played louder and is associated with improved mood, suggesting that emotional engagement with a chosen song can affect a driver’s behavior. Overall, the findings suggest that music can represent far more than a pleasant backdrop to driving, with BPM providing a measurable means of analyzing how the songs that form the American in-car soundtrack can influence driver behavior. For reference, here’s a list of the 20 (of 28) songs on the Spotify Top 50 playlist that most exceed the 120 BPM threshold. ## Key Case Study Examples As mentioned earlier, 28 of the 50 tracks on Spotify’s Top 50 USA playlist exceed 120 BPM, meaning more than half of the country’s current most popular songs feature a tempo associated with riskier driving. One simulated-driving study found that a rise in music tempo increased both actual and perceived driving speed. Fast tracks (above 120 BPM) playing at 85 decibels were specifically associated with a rise in the number of red-light violations, lane crossings, and collisions. Researchers attributed this to cognitive overload: faster music creating temporal information with the potential to divert a driver’s attention. A separate controlled study of college drivers found that participants completed an average of 25.11 laps while listening to fast-tempo music compared with 19.67 laps while listening to slow-tempo music over the same period: 28% more distance covered. Research into reaction times adds another layer, with music (of any tempo) improving reaction times by nearly 30 milliseconds compared with silence, and accuracy also falling by between 11 and 13%. So, while drivers may react more quickly during a split-second decision, they’re also slightly more likely to make an error. There may also be a significant physiological aspect. Research suggests rhythmic entrainment (where a person’s heart rate can ‘mimic’ an external tempo) is one way fast music can increase arousal and heart rate. Music that features a tempo closer to the resting heart-rate range (60-80 BPM) has been associated with calmer, less aggressive driving. Combined, the evidence suggests tempo measurably influences speed, attention, and reaction accuracy, although researchers are still trying to discern exactly how these effects influence a range of different driving conditions. ### The Classic Road Trip Playlist and Associated Dangers Of the 100 tracks on Spotify’s Classic Road Trip playlist, 53 (53%) exceed the 120 BPM threshold we cited earlier. That’s broadly in line with the 56% featured on the current Top 50 USA chart, suggesting that high BPM music isn’t a recent phenomenon and that drivers over many decades have been susceptible to potential musical influence. The fastest examples on the list include Dolly Parton, Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie” (like “9 to 5,” it features a BPM of 204), Cheap Trick’s “I Want You to Want Me” (184 BPM), and Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” (178 BPM). Across the full list, the spread across genres and decades further emphasizes the fact that tempo risk is far from just about high-energy music. And while tempo is highly significant, so too is distraction while picking playlists and songs to play in the car. ## In-Car Touchscreens and Infotainment Centers A 2020 Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) driving-simulator study discovered that selecting music on Spotify using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay via touchscreen slowed reaction time to a potential road hazard by up to 57%. (Compare this with a 35% reactive delay while simultaneously texting and driving, and 12% when driving at the legal alcohol limit, both rates found as part of the same study.) While voice-controlled music selection was less of a problem, it nonetheless slowed a driver’s reaction time by up to 36%. Additionally, using a touchscreen took drivers’ eyes from the road for over 12 seconds in total, exceeding NHTSA distraction guidance. A December 2025 University of Washington full-driving-simulator study found that using a touchscreen increased lane drifting by 42% and also reduced touchscreen accuracy and speed by 58%.  An additional cognitive memory task further worsened performance by 17%. As the task became increasingly demanding, drivers were also more likely to reach for the screen before they looked at it: this “hand before eye” behavior rose from 63% to 71%. Larger buttons didn’t fix the problem, with researchers identifying visual search time (as opposed to precise finger movement) as the main bottleneck. Together, the findings suggest drivers can simultaneously face two separate risks: the potential influence of a song’s tempo, plus the distraction caused while selecting that song and thinking about (and selecting) the next. Just as fast music can negatively affect driving performance, it is possible to limit the danger with a lower-BPM playlist. ## A Safe-BPM Playlist Spotify’s Top 50 USA playlist features 22 songs (44%) that are lower than 120 BPM. So, for drivers looking for a safer set of songs that won’t unconsciously increase speed or lead to more impulsive driving decisions, the following would be ideal. The calmest song on the ‘safer list’ is Whiskey Myers’ “Broken Window Serenade” (75 BPM), followed by Malcolm Todd’s “Earrings” (80 BPM) and Miguel’s “Sure Thing” (81 BPM). Other lower-tempo options, which span numerous musical genres, include Omar Apollo’s “Evergreen” (82 BPM), Noah Kahan’s “Orbiter” (85 BPM), Morgan Wallen’s “I Got Better” (also 85 BPM), Radiohead’s “Creep” (92 BPM), and sombr’s “back to friends” (93 BPM). That said, genre distinctions *can* matter. Hip-Hop/Rap (141.2 BPM) and Pop (134.9 BPM) feature the highest average tempos, while Country (109.6), R&B/Soul (111.3), and Indie/Alternative (102.6) feature substantially lower levels. This suggests that musical genre preferences can influence the tempo profile a driver will regularly encounter. ## Volume and Frequency Safety Issues Volume levels can also affect driving performance. A controlled study of 20 college-aged drivers found that their reaction time increased by 36.63 milliseconds at 74 decibels (compared with silence), a 16% drop from a baseline of 230 milliseconds. For female participants, the delay at high volume was roughly 40 milliseconds, compared with about 20 milliseconds among male participants. Loud or dense music can also override or obscure the sound or location of sirens. Knowing where a sound is coming from depends on subtle timing and volume differences between the ears, and neural circuits can detect differences as minuscule as 10 microseconds. That level of precision varies depending on the frequency: localization is sharp below 1 kHz, less so between 1 kHz and 3 kHz, and sharpens again above 3 kHz. Standard emergency sirens usually operate between 500 Hz and 1,500 Hz, overlapping the range where localization can be tricky and where car audio systems often operate. Loud or bassy music doesn’t just compete with a siren at volume level: it can disturb it at a frequency range where human hearing isn’t optimal. Some police departments have used the Rumbler siren to address the issue, with this type of siren currently deployed in over 100 departments across North America. It adds a low-frequency component to the alert because lower frequencies travel farther and can reach as high as 15 stories in dense urban environments to help avoid acoustic masking. ## The Varying Influence of Music on Driving Ultimately, music can influence driving speed, attention, reaction time, and a driver’s awareness and appreciation of emergency sounds. Fast tempos, high volume, and choosing in-car music while on the move each add a measurable risk. And while these risks aren’t limited to modern music, drivers can mitigate them by choosing slower-tempo tracks, keeping volume down, and avoiding music-related interaction while at the wheel. In a matter of seconds, a car accident can change your life. And in the event of a serious incident, insurance companies could move quickly to protect their interests, not yours. An experienced [car accident lawyer in Birmingham](https://wkfirm.com/birmingham-al/car-accident-lawyer/) can help you make the right decisions about your future. At Wettermark Keith, we help people navigate the legal and financial challenges that often follow a serious crash. Having served over 100,000 clients, we know how to build a strong claim. Call us today for a free consultation. --- Source: https://wkfirm.com/research/the-song-thats-speeding-you-up/