Harvard study links major album drops to spike in fatal crashes

A Harvard University study analyzed the 10 most-streamed albums released between 2017 and 2022 and found that US traffic fatalities rose on album-release days versus surrounding days, averaging a roughly 18% increase and about 182 extra deaths across the releases. Drake’s records showed the largest rise, Taylor Swift’s releases a smaller effect, and Kanye West’s Donda showed no notable impact. The researchers suggest streaming on smartphones may distract drivers, especially solo and younger drivers, though they could not confirm whether crashes involved actual music streaming. The findings highlight broader distracted-driving risks as smartphones and connected cars become more common.