IIHS States That America's 'Cultural Obsession With Speed' Is Driven by Advertising

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      While cars and trucks in America may be becoming larger and less focused on performance overall, our driving behaviors do not reflect that change. Reckless driving became widespread during the pandemic and has only slightly decreased since then. Even though the availability of enthusiast cars has significantly dropped in recent years, marketing for performance vehicles has actually risen, indicating that this shift in consumer trends has done little to diminish what IIHS President David Harkey describes as America’s “cultural obsession with speed.”

      Are you aware of IIHS? That’s the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety—commonly known for crash testing (not to be mistaken with those other crash test individuals). More broadly, IIHS serves as a watchdog group dedicated to finding ways to enhance vehicle safety. The reasoning behind this is straightforward: safer cars decrease both the frequency and severity of accidents—two factors that the insurance industry aims to minimize.

      “Portraying a stunt driver racing around a curve in the rain might appear harmless,” Harkey explained. “Though the fine print may clarify that it’s a professional driver on a closed course, the underlying message is that you can drive like this too.”

      IIHS argues that this widespread tendency to emphasize the performance capabilities of contemporary powertrains and driving aids conveys the wrong message, potentially leading to more aggressive driving and consequently higher rates of crashes and speeding violations. To promote safer driving, IIHS analysts diligently monitor various influences on driver safety, from the vehicles themselves (hence the crash tests) to human behaviors and social trends. This focus led to the development of the Institute’s latest study.

      “From the hot-rod songs of the 1950s to action film franchises like The Fast and the Furious, speed has long been celebrated as part of U.S. car culture,” the summary notes. “Vehicle advertisements—unlike films or music—aim specifically to persuade. Many of these ads portray high-performance driving as an experience consumers can acquire.”

      Indeed. Many advertisements excel at this. Instances of automakers and Hollywood merging these themes have also been noted. IIHS pointed out that this phenomenon isn’t new; the organization references the 1990 Nissan 300ZX Super Bowl “Dream” advertisement as a prime illustration, and similarly, Chevy had to pull a commercial for the C6 Corvette due to comparable criticism.

      After evaluating over 2,500 car advertisements from television, online, and social media, IIHS found that contemporary marketing tactics increasingly prioritize performance compared to prior years.

      “Throughout the entire study period, performance was the dominant theme, appearing in 43% of ads,” the summary indicated. “Approximately 16% featured speed or speeding, and 28% focused on traction.”

      “In contrast, only 8% of advertisements highlighted safety,” IIHS noted.

      This trend appears to be partly driven by the growth in performance-oriented marketing of trucks and SUVs—which were traditionally associated with sedans and coupes.

      “The likelihood that an SUV advertisement would focus on performance increased from 28% in 2018 to 45% in 2022,” IIHS stated. “Speed or speeding depictions were far more prevalent in sedan advertising compared to pickups and SUVs. In 2020, speed or speeding themes were found in 47% of sedan ads, whereas only 11% of SUV ads and 5% of pickup ads included such themes.”

      IIHS suggests there is some indication that these marketing approaches affect driver behavior. The rise in speed-focused advertising corresponds with an increase in traffic fatalities related to crashes during the same timeframe. Is this coincidental or causal? IIHS argues it is causal.

      "Nearly 90% of participants in the latest survey regarding attitudes and behaviors towards speeding concurred or strongly concurred that adherence to speed limits is essential,” IIHS stated in the study, “and over 70% agreed or strongly agreed that driving at or near the speed limit reduces the likelihood of a crash (Cosby et al., 2024, December).”

      “Simultaneously, 61% of respondents identified themselves as ‘speeders’ or ‘sometimes speeders,’ and 91% agreed or strongly agreed that individuals should align their speed with that of surrounding traffic,” the study added. “Unlike impaired driving, speeding lacks the same social stigma and is often normalized as acceptable behavior.”

      However, irrespective of the social acceptance of speeding, vehicles continue to grow larger and heavier—and they come equipped with powertrains that suffice for keeping pace with traffic. As time progresses, the repercussions of this trend become increasingly pronounced.

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