Talk to Your Teenage Drivers About Car Surfing

As a parent, you talk to your teenagers about safe driving all the time. You remind them to wear their seat belt, tell them not to use their cell phone, and make sure they know the rules of the road. But there is one danger of teenage driving that you may not be talking to your teens about: car surfing.

Car surfing is a thrill-seeking activity where a person rides on the exterior of the vehicle while it is being driven by another person. This is often done by a person standing on the hood or trunk of the car, or being pulled behind on a sofa, skateboard or sled. Your teenager may have seen videos of this dangerous activity on YouTube, popular video games or television.

Car surfing can turn deadly with just one wrong move on the driver’s or rider’s part. A 2008 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 58 car surfing deaths and 41 non-fatal injuries from 1990 through August 2008 with the majority of the victims between the ages of 15 and 19 years old. Seventy five percent of the deaths were caused by a bump or blow to the head and even those who did not die sustained serious, life-long injuries.

Even at speeds as slow as 5 mph, someone thrown from a moving vehicle can be seriously injured or killed, but incidents have also been recorded with teens going up to 80 miles per hour. Most injuries are caused by unanticipated movement of the car such as swerving or hard braking.

The good news is that there is something you can do. Talk to your teens today about the hazards of car surfing. Remind them that they are responsible for their own safety and the safety of their friends whether they are the driver or the passenger. Tell them that it’s okay to speak up if they feel that an activity is unsafe. It could save a life. It’s also a good idea to talk to the parents of your teen’s friends to make sure they know about car surfing so they can talk to their teens about it. With a little bit of time and some communication you can help your teen stay safe while they are away from home.

The Don’t Drive Stupid Website has tips for talking to your teen about safe driving and information about Graduated Driver Licensing Laws that can help you keep your kids safe on the road.

About the Author

Whitney Henrie

Whitney has a degree in Health Promotion from Weber State University. She has been working in the Child Advocacy Department at Primary Children’s for almost 2 years. She is a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician, and loves the opportunity she has to help educate others about injury prevention. Whitney loves to read, travel, and spend time with her family.

http://primarychildrens.org

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