Car surfing is a trend among many teens. It involves having one or more passengers hanging out of, or balancing on top of, a moving car. In many cases, the car is driving above above the posted speed limit – in some cases, well above the speed limit – and in many cases teens take photos or videos of the stunts. In some situations, these videos and photos document the final moments of the risk-takers.
According to information gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 58 people died between 1999 and 2008 in US accidents caused by car surfing. Another 41 victims suffered serious injuries. Most victims were teenagers and male.
Car surfing is a serious problem and leads to Miami car accidents for many reasons:
1) Those who take part in car surfing will often lose control and fall out of or off of the moving vehicle. In most of these cases, death is a common result, especially if the driver is speeding. This is in fact the most common type of injury resulting from car surfing. In this type of Miami traffic accident, the teen may simply lose grip on the vehicle and may plummet in front of the vehicle and get run over. Even if they fall clear of the vehicle, Miami head injuries are a likely result when the head comes into contact with a hard surface such as pavement. Car do not wear helmets or other protective gear, so there’s often nothing protecting them from impacting with pavement at a very high speed.
2) Those who take part in car surfing may smash up against an object. In many cases, car surfers will ricochet off of another surface, such as a nearby car, bridge, or other hard surface. Teen surfers may simply not notice objects bearing towards them, and this is likely to result in severe Miami brain injuries.
3) The driver involved in these pranks is often distracted. In many cases, the driver is speeding, looking at the surfers, and in some cases trying to take videos or photos of the event. In many cases, the driver may swerve out of control and lose control of the vehicle. In other cases, the driver may be in a Miami car accident, colliding with another vehicle.
4) Car surfing is distracting for other drivers, who may lose control of their vehicles while trying to get out of the way.
Car surfing is always dangerous, and unfortunately it is prevalent among some teenage boys. It is important for parents to be aware of what their children are doing with their friends. It is also important for parents to speak frankly with their children about the dangers of car surfing. Many teens have already died from this particular type of prank, and more needs to be done to ensure that more accidents do not take place.
If you or your child has been injured due to a wrongful or someone’s negligence, contact the Flaxman Law Group in order arrange for a free accident consultation to discuss your case. Your case may be worth more than you realize, and the legal team at the Flaxman Law Group has worked with thousands of South Florida personal injury victims already, so you can put their dedicated experience to work for you.