A new study by CIS Insurance and endorsed by the British government has uncovered a remarkable link – people interested in automotive video games and television shows like Gran Turismo and Top Gear are much more likely to break the speed limit. It accuses such media of creating a “cachet of excitement and glamour around speeding”, which presumably translates into death and destruction:
David Neave of Co-operative Insurance, which compiled the report, said: ‘Games, TV and films have fuelled the increase in speeding. […] The Fast And The Furious and Top Gear are devoted to speeding and targeted at a younger audience who are more likely to be encouraged to speed.’
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick endorsed the findings, saying those who speed ‘play Russian roulette with their lives and those of others’.
Granted, this isn’t the first time the racing genre has come under attack. A similar study in Australia from late last year found that “video games kill driving skills” because they “increase [young driver’s] complacency and their indulgence in risk-taking behaviour.” Other research in the UK pitted driving games against violent first-person shooters. The result? Those who played driving games recorded much higher levels of agitation and aggression.
Of course, the studies seem to forget that correlation does not imply causation. Who can say that reckless drivers are not more attracted to racing games first? Who can say that an already irresponsible gearhead is suddenly more likely to be in an accident after watching Jeremy Clarkson thrash the latest Pagani Zonda around a test track? Just don’t be surprised when your local politicians cite these very studies as justification to put more laws on the books…
See more articles on Polyphony Digital and Top Gear.
Gee, let’s all have the most boring lives ever and not do anything exciting because it may harm someone.
Spot on Krymzen!!
So these fools at CIS and the government buffoons who endorsed it also think that watching motorsport encourages people to start racing in the streets, watching boxing makes you want to go out and start punching people in the face, watching a film where Bruce Willis drives a car into a flying helicopter makes you want to do the same!?!
Only last night I played GTA4, and can safely say that it didn’t make me want to go down town, take a hooker into a back alley, have fun and then stab her!! No, because like a majority of people, I have common sense. As Krymzen said it is the “idiot minority” who would go out and start driving around like loons. But then they’re of that mentality that would do these stupid things wether they had played Gran Turismo or not!
The people that drive like idiots on the road, are usually classed in “the idiot minority” of society. People who drive like that take no responsibility of themselves and their driving. When I watch Top Gear, I don’t think, “that’s awesome… I know what to do this evening, I’m going to take my fiesta and race around saying POWEEEEERR!!” I don’t play Gran Turismo and instantly think it’s ok to drive at race speeds on the road, because i’m not an imbasile.
Top Gear is an entertainment programme. It can be irresponsable, and stupid… but that is entertaining. They did have a spell where they were very stupid and it went too far… but on the most part, they do the silly and crazy things away from the public now.
The government need to stop blaming video games, TV, films whatever… and start thinking maybe people do stupid things on the road, because they are irresponsible, wreckless, and don’t think about the consequences. It’s not because a video game, or a TV programme “made them do it.” People have independant thought, and they do something because they chose to do it.
i play racing games intensively like there’s no tomorrow, i never miss to watch live racing, i watch top gear, f1 factory, auto motor und sports, motor tuning mania and the likes etc etc…
i own and drive an amg tuned merc.
but…
i always drive in the slow lane, on weekends, and let others pass me by with a smile!
so, where’s the correlation? am i the anomaly? or?
All i can say is if i see a good episode of TG that puts me in a racing mood i put in GT5 prologue and do some laps,I DON’T TAKE IT TO THE STREET”S.
That’s so true i remember when my great grandfather went and broke the speed limit after watching episodes of topgear and playing GT back in the 1950’s,you woulod think after almost 60 yrs of this people will realize that these type of shows are bad.
It’s the same thing now even though TG has been off for so long all i do is remember an episode and i can’t help but speed,it’s not for the fact i’m late or anything just TG and GT’s fault.
Thanx for clearing that up guy’s.
Tha UK is so cool,i want to live there so i can also have a stick up-u know where.
What a load of codswallop…..I dont drive either so what danger am i to the public….look in the news about that woman whos killed a school kid, i bet she dont even own a console but she goes out and does that anyways….the government is an ass and should think about more than a 6 month ban for idiots who do kill innocence on the roads, in a word its totally pathetic
Super Numbber: You’re not the stupidest people in the world, the British are, because we try our hardest to be just like you.
wrong game and wrong show to blame. word.
They cant be more right,the better that simulation is(GT5P)the bigger its influence is.Works for me.Arcade games like Burnout,you cant take them seriously=no influence.Game that rise my anger the most is Prologue,and just because you suspect as ‘real’ racing as the game is by outlook,and you get punters instead.Roadrage its best.
Boy am I glad this report was done! For a moment I thought us Americans were looking like the stupidest people in the world… :)
Now why would anyone trust a study done by an INSURANCE company? Especially a study that is about video games and speeding. It is a conflict of interest in my eyes, and a study like this should be done by an outside firm that is not directly connected to any of the subject matter.
The problem with a study done by an insurance firm is that they can make the findings and data project anything they want it to say. Further more a study like this is only used for political gain or capital gain. In the British government’s case, it can enable the house to pass laws unto the people to only in turn generate more revenue for the government in the form of tickets. In the insurance companies case, this study can justify a premium price hike on youth. Scare tactics. They work. :)
I could be crazy, but its a different way of thinking about it :)
I would be curious to see the study itself, and well as their methodology (sample size, sample frame, data forms..ect)
Oh Cock!!! Okay, now they’ve messed up with two of my most adored things!!!
Now, the best thing to do now, is TO HAVE A RACE! :sly:
I think they are right all racing games and car shows should be illegal ;) and no more motor sports on tv we should all just go back to reading newspapers and books :D you just cant argue with governments they know what’s best for everybody end of story :D
“oh and since this is published by the british government there just doing this because everyone knows that their speed cameras that are put there to SLOW down cars actually kills more people”
-haha exactly!!! right on the spot there! Just another lame blame on something else, to cover them-selfs up and to distract people from thinking of UK failed things they’ve done.
I don’t know what they’re up to, but they are sertaintly after something. It’s not about people being safe lol (like they care) …they are going for something else there.
That is SO LAME though to blame Gran Turismo and Top Gear for people being speeding and killing people… hahaha OMG. Just another UK’s stupid excuses.
How can you blame Gran Turismo when it’s a game of simulation that involves all racing on TRACKS not streets. If you want to blame things, blame games like NFS or Burnout. These people know nothing.
Further to this; if our license tests / lessons were more robust, requiring that the driver have experience on a skidpan or off-road as well as on-road, then we wouldn’t have so many accidents as the average skill level would have to increase. Most accidents are caused by people losing control of their vehicle – once it’s out of control, they can’t regain control, and in their inexperience generally make things worse.
They complain about GCSE’s and A-Levels being too easy; perhaps they should focus that attention elsewhere…
Rant over. I’ll go back to lurking now.
Yet another in a long list of pointless surveys – whoever keeps commissioning / approving them really needs to have their employment contract reviewed. TBH my playing of Gran Turismo has probably helped me avoid accidents, especially since I got my G25. Honestly, you should try driving in Pembrokeshire during tourist season; it’s a case of dodge-the-idiot at almost every turn!
I think in GT5 all the cars should be restricted to the national speed limit.
omg, please dont let this get in the way with the release of GT, this is nonsense, we are all already excited for this game, now they put some like this on PD’s shoulders, and top gear at that matter, my 2 fav things!!
I would argue that things like the NFS series galmourise speed far more than GT and its not right to single out one particular franchise, Also I find it ironic that its GT as many people say including KY that GT makes people better at driving! I know I feel that GT helped me learn to drive years before I was in a real car. Plus GT is based on real racing circuits whereas NFS has been on public roads / open worlds which is far more of a bad influence.
As for Top Gear I would say that they are slightly more guilty as Clarkson does make speeding seem like a good thing. But thats part of the act and what makes Top Gear entertaining and funny. I guess some are too stupid and take things literally.
Who would have guessed all along that Top Gear, Gran Turismo, and Fast and Furious (and the likes thereof) have influenced some many “I can’t believe I’m an arse” moments. Apparently the cautions read “Professional driver(s) on closed course. DO try this at home.
Perhaps we should start blaming the car commercials, too.
Stupid. Just stupid.
I think that GT has been wrongfully blamed, games like need for speed and Burnout are more likely to make people break the speed limit, since they are arcade games. And Burnout requires absolute aggression.
It’s about time GT get’s it’s rightful spot in the blame circle, I’m tired of GTA hogging it all the time.
in the contrary, I drive cautiously on the road because I play racing games since I was kid.
my speed on the road actually much slower than my speed in video games, because from playing games I know certain condition when I might end up wrecking my vehicles.
but of course, people who love to speeding on the roads feels playing racing games is like nirvana for them, because they don’t have to risk their life, but it’s not the contrary.
The problem (if it exists) comes from the people that doesn’t know the diference beetwen a game and the real life. I think the problem don’t come from the videogames. Does history’s war episodes hapened because they played Age of Empires? In the world always are murders or stupid people that don’t know how to drive.
And very important thing! Top Gear and Gran Turismo don’t makes apology over crazy street driving!
i dont even drive and i love both these things, in what way am i a danger on the roads?
Well, the media have tried to blame just about all violence on “certain” video game franchises. Why not have a go at ruining people’s fun on perfectly innocent car games, rather than accepting the logical conclusion that some people are just dickheads, and will break the law regardless.
Tim,
David was being sarcastic. ;)
As for the article, well yeah, hurp durp to you too.
Nothing new here: politicians are there to tell us the truth! I was almoust going out to buy a new racing game; i had no idea how dangerous this is. LOL LOL LOL
PS: what about Formula 1, dangerous too?
oh and since this is published by the british government there just doing this because everyone knows that their speed cameras that are put there to SLOW down cars actually kills more people
Wow DAVID r, and this stupid article. I watch top gear and play racing games but it isn’t going to make me drive really fast i mean everybody breaks the speed limit once in a while, its that ancient part of human nature called ADRENALIN i mean to try and stop sony and top gear from making games and shows, you’ll have more chance catching osma bin laden
Infact games like Criterions Burnout (UK company) and Microsoft Midtown Madness are more likely to be riskier drivers.
Sony and BBC should hang your heads in shame; I mean, it’s not like you go around invading other countries, slaughtering thousands and sending hundreds of your own sons and daughters to their death is it? At least video games have WMD.