The threat of hefty fines, vehicle impoundment, and licence suspension doesn't appear to be enough to keep older men from pretending they are in a Fast and Furious movie.
A study from Western University and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) put street racing under the microscope. Researchers discovered that, since street-racing legislation was introduced by the province in 2007, fewer young men have been injured or killed participating in the practice. But the penalties for driving more than 50 km/h above the posted speed limit weren't enough to deter older street racers.
“It’s clear that some people feel a need for speed," said Evelyn Vingilis, Western University professor and co-author of the report. "That’s not necessarily a bad thing if it’s only on the big screen. But in real life, the risks associated with stunt driving have some serious implications, including collisions that are eminently preventable and come at a high cost to health and society.”
Ontarians who have street-raced at least once in the past year are five times more likely to crash when compared to other drivers, according to the study. Roughly 86,000 people, or 1%, of drivers admit to street racing at least once in the last year. The study found those motorists were more likely to be single men and are more likely to driver faster than the average person after consuming alcohol or marijuana.
“We know that those who engage in street racing also tend to engage in other risky behaviours that, on their own, can increase crash rates,” said Christine Wickens, CAMH researcher and lead author of the report. “But even when we adjust for all other variables — age, sex, driving distance, impaired driving — we see this correlation between self-admitted street racers and significantly higher crash numbers.”
The driving habits and lifestyle risks of 11,263 Ontario adults were surveyed between 2009 and 2014 for the study.
It's the first time demographics and crash rates of adult street racers in Ontario have been systematically studied.
Called "Street racing among the Ontario adult population: Prevalence and association with collision risk," the study was published in the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention.