Allianz Australia launches ‘Seat Belters’ on Spotify, a new in-app experience aiming to slow down Aussie drivers

As National Road Safety Week kicks off, Allianz Australia has leveraged Spotify to unveil ‘Seat Belters’, a new in-app experience that generates playlists designed to promote safer driving habits that aims to help to prevent driving mishaps.

Studies have shown² that the music we listen to when driving can have an effect on many of our driving behaviours, with songs over 120 beats per minute being found to have the worst impact on crucial decision-making competencies such as the tendency to speed, alertness and reaction time.

Seat Belters, which Allianz Australia has made accessible to Spotify users, leverages Spotify’s unique streaming intelligence to create personalized playlists that only include songs with a lower BPM,specifically between 60-80 BPM, which research suggests can promote safer driving by encouraging a calmer and more focused state.

Allianz is dedicated to enabling Australians to proactively prevent accidents, whether on the road or at home. By offering Seat Belters to Spotify users, Allianz Australia seeks to foster safer driving habits with the goal of reducing road incidents across the country.

When looking to Australia’s driving and listening habits, new research revealed nearly a third (32 per cent) of drivers believe music affects how they drive, with nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of those impacted by fast-tempo acknowledging that music with a higher BPM affects their reaction times and overall awareness. This suggests that many Australians may not take into account the potential risks associated with the music tempo while driving.

The research by Allianz Australia revealed that of those surveyed 32 per cent that are impacted by music, nearly one in three (28 per cent), admit that the pace or tempo makes them drive faster, and 33 per cent noted a decrease in overall concentration when listening to music.

“Enhanced situational awareness is paramount for road safety. Research, including studies by Allianz has shown that faster-paced music directly correlates with increased driver distraction, leading to poor decision making³. Initiatives like Seat Belters are vital, translating evidence-based research into practical tools that empower drivers to adopt safer habits” said Road Safety Expert and Professor, Dr Andry Rakotonirainy.

When it comes to Aussies’ listening preferences, the drivers surveyed overwhelmingly reached for Pop (44%) followed by Rock (34%), Country (18%), and R&B/Soul (17%). For the 52% of surveyed Aussie drivers who sing along to music while driving, nearly half (44%) reported they turn up the volume when a favourite song comes on.

“Allianz is committed to supporting Australians and delivering true, genuine care which is why we have created this experience on Spotify that’s not only practical, but also personalised and enjoyable, with the potential to positively influence driving behaviours and aimed at preventing road accidents occurring across the country.” said Shez Ford, Chief General Manager, Consumer at Allianz Australia.

“Music provokes intense feelings. We know listeners get a mood boost when they tune into Spotify, resulting in a halo of good vibes for brands. With our focus on personalization and discovery and a uniquely engaged audience, brands like Allianz can effectively reach their target audience of drivers with this important message around safe driving. I’m thrilled to see Allianz creatively leverage Spotify and the power of music for such an important and thoughtful campaign.” said Brian Berner, Global Head of Advertising Sales & Partnerships at Spotify.

To access and create your own personalised Seat Belters playlist, please scan the QR code or visit the Allianz playlist.

1. Of those 32% who stated they believe music impacts their driving, 24% stated it significantly impacts them, and 8% stated it slightly impacts them. 64 per cent stated it does not, and 5% are unsure if it impacts their driving.
2. References
   1. Karageorghis, C. I., et al. (2022). Interactive effects of task load and music tempo on psychological, psychophysiological, and behavioural outcomes during simulated driving. Ergonomics, 65(7), 915–932. Visit the research.
   2. Wen, H., et al. (2019). Effect of Music Listening on Physiological Condition, Mental Workload, and Driving Performance with Consideration of Driver Temperament. IJERPH, 16(15), 2766. Read about the research.
3. Of the surveyed 39% impacted by fast-tempo music agreed that speed, increase in distractions (36%) and reduction in alertness (28%) are the most common driving behaviours to be affected.
4. Of all surveyed drivers, 58% stated they listen to music at a conversational volume, 21% said the volume is not very loud, 17% stated the volume is loud, and 2% stated the volume is very loud, and they can’t hear others in the car or road traffic at all.
5. 20% of surveyed Australian drivers stated they shuffle existing music when they start driving, 20% don’t have a car playlist, 11% skip parts of the song they don’t want to listen to, 9% perform actions to the music, and 6% touch their phone to scroll through playlists to find a song.