The Most Dangerous Christmas Songs To Drive To
Festive Driving Time
With the festive season just upon the horizon, it won’t be long before we start to hear the familiar melodies of Christmas songs. Though designed to instill a warm, festive feeling, some songs can have the potential to do the opposite and cause increased risk of dangerous driving.
A recent scientific study revealed that songs with beats per minute (BPMs) over 120 are linked with increased dangerous driving, inflating the risk of road accidents.
Chill has analysed the BPM of some of the world’s most iconic Christmas songs to discover the most dangerous ones to drive to.
The Most Dangerous Christmas Songs To Drive To
#1 Frosty the Snowman
The light-hearted Christmas jingle ‘Frosty the Snowman’ is a favourite amongst children, telling the story of a “jolly happy soul”. However, the study revealed that the song can have the opposite effect, with its BPM of 172 being linked to more stressful temperaments in drivers.
#2 All I Want for Christmas is You
One of the most popular Christmas songs of modern times, Mariah Carey’s power-ballad ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ is the third most dangerous Christmas song to drive to, our study revealed.
A Christmas karaoke staple, you may enjoy belting out the festive tune, but the BPM of 150 may cause more serious issues when driving.
#3 Feliz Navidad
The Spanish Christmas song ‘Feliz Navidad’ is another festive favourite that has the potential to cause dangerous driving. With a BPM of 149, José Feliciano’s yuletide jingle is the fourth most dangerous Christmas song to drive to, according to our study.
#4 Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
With various versions from the likes of The Supremes, Bruce Springsteen and Michael Bublé, ‘Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town’ is one of the most treasured festive anthems of all time. But with a BPM of 147, the famously upbeat Jackson 5 version could cause a range of driving issues.
#5 Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Our study revealed that Frank Sinatra’s Christmas classic ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!’ is the fifth most dangerous Christmas song to drive to, with a BPM of 143. Despite being one of the most beloved Christmas songs in the world, its high BPM is over the ‘safe’ limit of 120, meaning that it could cause people to drive more aggressively.
The 10 Most Dangerous Christmas Songs To Drive To
| Rank | Song | Artist | BPM |
| 1 | Frosty the Snowman | Gene Autry | 172 |
| 2 | All I Want for Christmas Is You | Mariah Carey | 150 |
| 3 | Feliz Navidad | José Feliciano | 149 |
| 4 | Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town | Jackson 5 | 147 |
| 5 | Happy Xmas (War is Over) | John Lennon & Yoko Ono | 146 |
| 6 | Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! | Frank Sinatra | 143 |
| 7 | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer | Gene Autry | 142 |
| 8 | I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day | Wizzard | 140 |
| 9 | Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | Judy Garland | 137 |
| 10 | I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus | Jackson 5 | 129 |
The 10 Safest Christmas Songs To Drive To
| Rank | Song | Artist | BPM |
| 1 | Fairytale of New York | The Pogues | 78 |
| 2 | Santa Baby | Eartha Kitt | 84 |
| 3 | Hark! The Herald Angels Sing | Julie Andrews | 87 |
| 4 | Wonderful Christmastime | Paul McCartney | 95 |
| 5 | It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas | Michael Buble | 95 |
| 6 | Last Christmas | WHAM | 108 |
| 7 | Winter Wonderland | Dean Martin | 111 |
| 8 | The Little Drummer Boy | Bing Crosby | 113 |
| 9 | One More Sleep | Leona Lewis | 113 |
| 10 | Do They Know It's Christmas | Band Aid | 115 |
Whatever festive jingle you choose to listen to this Christmas, always remember to drive responsibly to make sure the holiday season is ‘merry and bright’.
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Methodology
Chill analysed a range of Christmas number ones, and songs which featured in ‘most iconic Christmas song’ articles. The beats per minute (BPM) of each song was then recorded, with the songs being ranked from the highest BPM to the lowest.
The basis of the study used findings from South China University of Technology which discovered that songs with a BPM of 120 are linked to more dangerous driving behaviours due to the cardiovascular, physiological and psychological impact.
Discover the study in further detail.