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Car Stunts: When Teens Try To Defy Death

Engaging in car stunts, especially by teenagers, can be extremely dangerous and potentially deadly. Stunts such as drifting, street racing, or attempting dangerous maneuvers not only pose a risk to the driver but also to passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists. Here are some reasons why teen car stunts can be deadly:

  1. Lack of Experience: Teenagers typically have less driving experience than older individuals. Performing stunts requires a high level of skill and control, which often comes with years of practice.
  2. Inadequate Training: Stunt driving is a specialized skill that requires proper training. Without proper instruction and understanding of the physics involved, teens may not be equipped to handle the complexities of certain maneuvers.
  3. Impaired Decision-Making: Teenagers may be more prone to making impulsive and risky decisions due to their still-developing brains. This can lead to poor judgment when attempting dangerous stunts.
  4. Lack of Awareness: Stunt driving often involves pushing the limits of a vehicle’s capabilities. Without a full understanding of a car’s dynamics and limitations, teens may put themselves and others at risk.
  5. High Speeds: Many car stunts involve excessive speeds, increasing the likelihood of accidents and reducing the time available to react to unexpected obstacles.
  6. No Safety Measures: Stunt driving often requires safety measures such as roll cages, harnesses, and other specialized equipment. Attempting stunts without these precautions increases the risk of injury or death in the event of a crash.
  7. Legal Consequences: Engaging in car stunts is not only dangerous but also illegal in many places. Teens caught performing stunts may face legal consequences, including fines, license suspension, or even imprisonment.

It’s important for parents, guardians, and educators to educate teenagers about the dangers of car stunts and to promote responsible driving behavior. Encouraging safe driving habits, providing proper education, and setting a good example can help reduce the risks associated with dangerous driving activities.

Blame the success of the “Jackass” TV series and films

YouTube. Blame the success of the “Jackass” TV series and films. Whatever the reason, teens are engaging in more and more overtly-dangerous car stunts – and racking up an alarming number of car accidents involving personal injury and wrongful death.

First the good news; according to researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC), fatal teen car accidents, overall, declined by 36% between 2004 and 2008. While car accidents resulting in wrongful death are still the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S., this remarkable drop shows that there is a great deal of progress in the campaign to safeguard the lives of America’s youth on our roads.

First of all, teens, because they are relatively new drivers, are still four times as likely to die in car accidents as older drivers. When a growing penchant for dangerous car “stunt” driving is added to that lack of experience, the chance of death or injury mushrooms.

The three main types of dangerous teen driving behavior are:

Car Surfing – Riding on top of moving vehicles
Ghost Riding – Riding in a car without a driver
Skitching – Cars pulling a skateboarder behind them

The CDC reports that 58 people died in car-surfing accidents between 1990 and 2008 alone, with another 41 cases of personal injury. The toll from ghost riding and skitching has never been calculated; but the numbers from all these types of car accidents seem to be skyrocketing in recent months.

CBS News reported on this dangerous phenomenon that’s leaving a trail of victims all across the country. In Kewaunee, Wisconsin, a teen ended up bleeding and unconscious after falling from the top of a car during a stunt in a parking lot last April. In New Castle, Pennsylvania, Natalie Huff was also injured after car surfing – she fell off the hood and was actually run over by the car. She was left with several broken ribs, a ruptured spleen and a broken pelvis, and legal charges are pending.

And in Ojai, California, Cody Doolittle was skitching, when he lost control of his skateboard while being pulled by a friend’s SUV last August. The 18 year-old died in the hospital that very same day. “It feels like I’m in a dream,” said Craig Doolittle, the boy’s father. “I can’t believe this has happened.”

The probability of wrongful death and personal injury from these kinds of car accidents is high

The probability of wrongful death and personal injury from these kinds of car accidents is high. “An injury even at those slow speeds can result in significant neurologic disability and even death,” neurologist Dr. Alan R. Cohen commented to CBS News.

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