Street racing has been a part of American pop culture for nearly 70 years, glamorized by movies such as “Rebel Without a Cause,” “Grease,” and “The Fast and the Furious.” But would the movies have been as popular if there were a passenger in the car telling the driver to slow down? As teens flood the roadways this fall for such social activities as high school football games and Halloween parties, a new teen driving study by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Students Against Destructive Decisions reveals that 87 percent of teen drivers would refrain from street racing – an activity that resulted in 804 deaths between 2001 and 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – if they were asked by their passengers. Unfortunately, only 57 percent of teen passengers say they would actually request the driver to stop racing other cars.

Interestingly, the study of 3,580 10th-, 11th-, and 12th-graders representing 29 high schools across the country also reveals that more than one-third (38 percent) of teen drivers admit they have engaged in street racing despite 73 percent of those drivers also reporting they feel the behavior is at least “somewhat dangerous.” This increased frequency of street racing is spurring some states including Massachusetts, California and Illinois to revisit or introduce laws to protect teen drivers and others on the road.

“The results from this study reveal that teens continue to take risks behind the wheel; yet their friends could have a greater impact in reducing those activities – if only they felt empowered to speak up,” said Dave Melton, director of Transportation Technical Consulting Services at the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety in Hopkinton, Mass. “Racing, texting while driving, talking on the cell phone – there is a preponderance of so many behaviors and distractions that it is becoming alarmingly rare to find drivers who squarely focus on the one thing they should: the road.”

Say “no” to peer pressure – passengers, speak up

The Liberty Mutual/SADD survey reveals that street racing is just one example of dangerous teen driving behavior that could be minimized by passenger intervention. Texting while driving, an increasingly popular activity that 73 percent of teens admit they have done, is another stark example. Seventy-six percent of texting-while-driving offenders admit they would stop if asked by the passenger; yet only 46 percent of teen passengers say they would speak up. Even fewer teens say they would ask the driver to curb other dangerous behaviors such as speeding (41 percent) and talking on a cell phone (18 percent).

Street racing laws empower passengers with convincing argument

States such as Massachusetts, California, and Illinois are passing legislation with tougher penalties for street racers, and according to SADD chairman/CEO Stephen Wallace, teen passengers who understand these laws can make a stronger case against street racing to drivers.

“Even when a teen passenger knows the right thing to do, peer pressure makes it tough to speak up when friends are on the verge of engaging in dangerous behavior,” says Wallace. “However, when armed with facts about street racing laws and penalties – which include jail time and license suspensions – teen passengers can make a stronger, more confident, and convincing argument against street racing.”

Wallace points to the following state laws with strict repercussions designed to curb street racing:

• In California, drivers convicted for street racing face prison sentences of 30 days to six months, and/or as much as $1,000 in fines if their offenses resulted in injury for someone other than themselves.
• In Massachusetts, a new law effective in February 2008 dictates that convicted street racers be punished with up to two and a half years of jail time or a fine of up to $1,000. Offenders also get their licenses suspended for up to 30 days for the first offense and 180 days for subsequent violations.
• In Illinois, current legislation states that driving privileges be revoked for any person convicted of street racing and that law enforcement may impound the offender’s vehicle for up to five days.

Source: Liberty Mutual/SADD

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© Copyright 2007, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC).