Red Alert – Car Surfing
Car surfing on top of vehicles, ghost riding, and other stunts are gaining popularity among teenagers, who flock to YouTube to both share and view such daring endeavors.
What is car surfing?
Car surfing is a dangerous thrill-seeking activity that involves a person riding on the exterior of a moving vehicle, such as on the roof or the hood, while someone else is driving.
Who is most at risk for car surfing related injuries?
CDC researchers discovered the following facts about car surfing:
- Males are more likely to car surf than females.
- The average age of persons injured as a result of car surfing is 17.6 years old, and a larger than average proportion of injuries occur among teen males ages 15 to 19. However, injuries have been reported among persons ages 10 to 37, which demonstrates that car surfing is not an activity in which only teenagers participate.
- Injuries have been reported in 31 states, although a regional pattern was detected with 39% from the Midwest and 35% from the South. According to an article published in the October 17, 2008, issue of MMWR, since 1990 at least 99 people have died or sustained serious injuries as a result of car surfing, an activity that involves riding on the exterior of a moving vehicle. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention obtained information about car surfing injuries and deaths by reviewing newspaper reports from 1990 through 2008.
Teens get a thrill from stunts like car surfing and "skitching" -- riding a skateboard being pulled by a motor vehicle -- but the risks are phenomenal. "Injuries at those speeds can result in significant neurological disability and even death," neurologist Dr. Alan Cohen told CBS Evening News (watch the full report). CDC's findings answer common questions about this dangerous phenomenon, which appears to be most popular among young people, especially teenage males. The personal impact of such accidents can be enormous.
What can be done to help prevent teens from car surfing?
Parents and other influential adults should be aware of car surfing and its potentially deadly consequences. Adults can talk to teens about the real risk of injury and death that car surfing poses.
CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control supports parents' efforts to keep teens safe on the road at all times. Overall, car crashes are the leading cause of death involving teenagers in the United States. Parents can play a key role in keeping teens safe by learning about graduated driver licensing laws and ensuring that their teen driver follows the rules of the road.
Learn more about teen driver safety and graduated drivers licensing at www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/teenmvh.htm.
Check out a mother's warning about Car Surfing.