On This Day in 1968, Study Warned Drivers That Rock Music Could Lead To Speeding and Fuel Waste

On this day in 1958, automobile owners were given a pretty concerning warning from Esso Oil gas company. The company, now known as Exxon, issued a warning to drivers on July 27, 1958, based on data compiled by its own researchers. According to the researchers, listening to rock and roll music while driving could waste gas because “the rhythm can cause a driver to unconsciously jiggle the gas petal.”

The warning was pretty concerning to those who enjoyed listening to music on the car radio while driving. The researchers at the time drove home the idea that the rhythm and overall high energy of rock and roll music could make drivers foot-heavy while on the road, leading to dangerous speeding and fuel waste.

So, was this true? Who knows? Over half a century later, though, we do have more sophisticated data on this phenomenon. And, no, you don’t have to avoid listening to Black Sabbath or Metallica while driving nowadays.

Is Rock And Roll Really Dangerous For Drivers?

To modern-day rock music enjoyers, this warning might seem a bit funny. In a way, I can imagine it gave a few early enjoyers of the genre a good chuckle. And who knows? Maybe their research was rooted in truth. But it’s worth noting that the warning came at a very touchy time for the genre.

In 1958, rock and roll music was still quite new. And with any new thing that the kids enjoy, there was also a lot of concern about it. Not only did rock music cause cultural clashes, but plenty of parents worried that the genre could lead to debauched behavior.

Obviously, rock and roll didn’t go away. It evolved through the years and is still evolving today. But is rock music actually dangerous for drivers?

The data is murky, to say the least. It doesn’t appear as though rock music specifically is a danger factor for motorists. Rather, songs played at a high volume as well as songs with a high BPM (beats per minute) are associated with increased driving speed and increases in “the level of arousal and mental load” while driving.

Just as well, Extreme Terrain released a study just last year that found that drivers who listen to heavy metal tend to honk at others more often, run more red lights, and get into major car crashes more often than listeners of other types of music. However, that study did not find that listening to rock music, in general, dampened one’s ability to drive.

Just try to keep the volume down and pay attention to the road, and you’ll be fine.

Photo by Michel Linssen/Redferns