Harvard's Bapu Jena finds major album release days, like for Taylor Swift, cause measurable spikes in fatal car crashes.
Jena argues smartphones have turned music selection into a lethal distraction, replacing the radio's low-risk dial.
The effect is an example of behavioral spillover, where a cultural event triggers a specific, dangerous real-world action.
Traffic deaths jump 6% on Tax Day, linking psychological stress from looming deadlines to fatal driving errors.
Jena's research shows speeding violations spike on highways near theaters showing *Fast and Furious* movies upon release.
That speeding effect is absent for releases of movies like *Harry Potter* or *The Hunger Games*, according to Jena.
Co-author Christopher Worsham notes we use our smartphones, the most distracting device ever invented, to control in-car entertainment.
Jena previously found mortality rates for high-risk heart patients drop when senior cardiologists are away at conferences.
He argues senior doctors are more likely to perform invasive, risky procedures that can occasionally kill a patient.