New Album Drops Associated with 15% Rise in U.S. Traffic Fatalities

A Harvard-led study in JAMA Network Open analyzed 2017–2022 US traffic deaths and found a 15% rise on the 10 biggest album-release days (e.g., Taylor Swift, Drake, Bad Bunny) compared with surrounding days, driven mainly by younger, male, and solo drivers, and correlated with a 43% surge in streaming. While this association suggests smartphone-driven distraction from streaming as a plausible cause, the study cannot prove individual crashes were caused by listening while driving. The authors urge further actions by manufacturers and policymakers to improve driver safety around streaming media.