The most influential has been the increase in cheap, fast, late model Japanese imported cars and the ease in which these young, sometimes unemployed boys can get loans to buy the cars. Another reason is it is trendy amongst young boys to own these little fast cars, so they all want one. Another reason is that young boys (and by that I mean 17-20 yr olds) can still own these cars and not have a full license to drive them, some of them have had their restricted or learners license for years and have no immediate plans to get a full license. Another reason seems to have to do with the class of adolescent. It does seem to be mainly the white, middle to upper class teenager/young adult that is attracted to this kind of activity. Are they not interested in sport? Did they have lots of xbox/playstation racing games that made them think they could transfer their skills into real life? Are they the only ones that can afford to buy and run the cars because their parents help with insurance and/or maintainence on their vehicles? Another reason is the street races that causes them to have that rush of adrenaline, feeling the power of the car under their 'control', doing something illegal that they might get caught for and knowing that lots of their mates and potential girl/boy friends are admiring their 'skills'. There is also the sense of comaraderie, the feeling of belonging within the large group of like-minded peers, friendship, and kudos with the mates.
What has changed?
Of course, adolescents (both genders) have always loved cars, especially getting their own first car - one of the first steps of freedom and entry into the adult world, so that is nothing new. Even showing off in cars is not new, my parents tell stories that only differ from the same stories I told, and this next generation tells, by the years of the cars we all drove. But a couple of other things have changed from those times. The boy/girl racers have little respect for the laws, and for other people's rights (they seem to express their own rights to freedom often, but show little caring about other peoples rights to the road, and ultimately their lives). Also, boy/girl racers don't seem to care if they damage their beloved car, spend too much on petrol (although there is also an increase in drive-off's at petrol stations because of this activity) or rip up the roads. They don't seem to realise that by destroying the road, someone has to pay for that road to be fixed to be safe and driveable again - the tax payers. I object to paying for the roads to be continually fixed because of this selfish and dangerous 'fun'. There is also a general loss of respect for the use of a powerful machine - the cars are much more powerful, and therefore are deadlier weapons. You have to treat it right, know it, learn it and respect its power. These young drivers have only had a couple of years driving experience, they don't know how to drive well. That is a major difference between boy/girl racers and seasoned rally drivers. They don't know what to do when the car loses control, and so they often make mistakes and sometimes those mistakes are fatal. Most young people have not been involved in a serious car accident and do not know the pain and trauma that occurs. Movies and television have desensitised pain and trauma, and as such have taken away some of the fear surrounding it.
It is not just the tragic lives of those that are killed that we mourn. It is the senseless loss of life, it is the devastating effect on the families, friends, attending emergency services. It is also the loss of life for the offending person - they can never forget what happened, their life will never be the same. What they saw as fun is revealed for what it is or could be at any moment - deadly. How do you get over something like that?
Who is to blame?
Who is to blame? The loan approvers or the policy around lending big loans to young boys that have a high likelihood of writing the car off before they pay the loan off? The parents that allow their adolescents to drive outside of their conditions and therefore have no respect for the law, and pay for their continued maintenance? The boy/girl racers who prefer to have illegal street racers that they can 'control' rather than join a car club and have to abide by their rules? The police that cannot be in all places at all times to shutdown these burnouts/drags? The car salespeople who sell young people these cars? The insurance companies that insure them? The government for not providing jobs to occupy them? The justice legislation that is not strong enough to deter them?
In todays society we are so quick to pass blame. Probably most of those things and maybe others have a little to blame, but instead of looking to blame, we should be looking to solve this with the boy/girl racers to ensure the safety of all of us.
How can we fix it?
There have been calls through the media to stop car salespeople from selling the high performance cars to young people. I don't think that will work. To me that is just a restriction on freedom. Not all young people are boy/girl racers. There also has been a suggestion to ban liquor in public places 24 hours a day. Again, just throwing the baby out with the bath water - the good people lose out. Why don't we raise the driving age to at least 18 for a start? Why don't we teach driving in schools here in NZ so that they can learn more than just how to cram the driving test enough to pass? Why don't we show young people what it's like to attend a fatal accident caused by speed so they know what it's like to have to clean blood off the road, the same blood that gets on your shirt, that same blood that flowed through someones daughter/son/brother/sister just a few short hours ago. Why don't we stop spreading propaganda that the people 'died doing what they loved'. THEY STILL DIED! THEY HAVE LOST THE CHANCE TO LOVE ANYTHING ELSE FOREVER. (People just say that to appease their guilt).
Growing up
If we do nothing, if the media coverage dies out - the boy/girl racers will grow out of it, or grow up and move on. Perhaps they will wake up and realise the danger in their fun and find another hobby. Perhaps they will be shocked into reality by being involved in, or witnessing a horrific car accident. Perhaps they will just slowly lose interest and their lives will be filled with more important things as happens when we get older. Maybe some will quit because of the cost to their cars.. or because they have lost their license or had their car confiscated and they realise they don't want that to happen again. Hopefully these things will occur, and no more young and promising lives will be wasted. But can we really do nothing, why should anyone die just because some other people are not following the laws of our country that are set down to protect us - not to dampen fun or to prevent our freedom - just to protect us.
If those that need to hear could only listen..
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