IIHS Claims America's 'Cultural Fascination With Speed' Driven by Advertising

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      While American cars and trucks are generally becoming larger and less focused on performance, that hasn’t changed how we drive them. Reckless driving reached epidemic levels during the pandemic and has only slightly decreased since. Additionally, even though the number of enthusiast vehicles available in the market has significantly decreased in recent years, the amount of performance-focused advertising has actually risen. This suggests that the shift in buying patterns hasn’t diminished what IIHS President David Harkey describes as America’s “cultural obsession with speed.”

      Are you familiar with IIHS? That stands for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. You likely know them as the organization that conducts crash tests. However, IIHS is much more than that; it’s a watchdog group established to explore ways to enhance vehicle safety. This is important because safer vehicles lead to fewer accidents and less severe incidents—both desirable outcomes for those in the insurance industry.

      “Displaying a stunt driver speeding around a corner in the rain may seem innocuous,” Harkey noted. “The fine print may warn that it’s a professional driver on a closed course, but the underlying message is that you can drive this way too.”

      IIHS argues that this widespread tendency to highlight the performance capabilities of modern engines and driving aids sends a misleading message that can worsen aggressive driving behavior and ultimately lead to more accidents and traffic violations. Consequently, IIHS analysts monitor all factors impacting driver safety, from the vehicles themselves (hence the crash testing) to human behavior and societal trends. This approach led to their latest study.

      “From hot rod songs of the 1950s to action movie franchises like The Fast and the Furious, speed has always been a celebrated aspect of U.S. automotive culture,” the summary stated. “Vehicle advertisements—unlike films or music—are crafted specifically to persuade. Many portray high-performance driving as something consumers can buy and experience.”

      Indeed, and a number of them are quite effective. There are instances where automakers and Hollywood have blurred the lines between their industries. IIHS has noted that this phenomenon isn’t new, citing the 1990 Nissan 300ZX Super Bowl “Dream” commercial as a notable instance; following this trend, Chevy had to pull a C6 Corvette ad amid similar backlash.

      After examining over 2,500 car advertisements across television, the internet, and social media, IIHS found that modern marketing tactics place even more emphasis on performance than in the past.

      “Throughout the entire study period, performance was the predominant theme, appearing in 43% of advertisements,” the summary indicated. “About 16% featured speed or speeding, while 28% highlighted traction.”

      “In contrast, only 8% of ads focused on safety,” IIHS mentioned.

      Statistically, this shift is partly fueled by the growth of performance-oriented marketing for trucks and SUVs—previously the realm of sedans and coupes.

      “The likelihood that an SUV ad would be focused on performance increased from 28% in 2018 to 45% in 2022,” IIHS’s summary revealed. “Speed or speeding was depicted far more frequently in sedan advertisements than in those for pickups and SUVs. In 2020, speed themes were present in 47% of sedan ads, compared to 11% of SUV ads and 5% of pickup ads.”

      According to IIHS, there’s evidence to suggest that this marketing approach impacts driver behavior. The increase in speed-focused advertising aligns with a rise in road fatalities related to crashes during the same time frame. Is it mere coincidence or causation? IIHS argues it’s the latter.

      “Nearly 90% of participants in the latest survey regarding attitudes and behaviors towards speeding agreed or strongly concurred that everyone should adhere to the speed limit,” IIHS stated in the study, “and over 70% agreed or strongly agreed that driving at or near the speed limit diminishes the chances of a crash (Cosby et al., 2024, December).”

      “Meanwhile, 61% classified themselves as either ‘speeders’ or ‘sometimes speeders’ and 91% agreed or strongly agreed that drivers should keep pace with the flow of traffic,” the study continued. “Speeding lacks the same social stigma as impaired driving and is often viewed as a normal behavior.”

      Nonetheless, even if societal acceptance of speeding remains unchanged, vehicles are still increasing in size and weight—and they come equipped with powertrains that enable them to merge with traffic effectively. As time progresses, the repercussions only become more pronounced.

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