Bec Oakes
Have you ever noticed that drivers of certain types of car are more likely to drive like idiots than others?
A warning has been issued to BMW owners after research reveals that Beamers are among the top brands of cars most likely to cause a car crash.
400,000 UK road accidents caused by dodgy driving — speeding, jumping red lights, etc — were analysed in a study published in the Journal of Social Marketing.
The study found that drivers of certain brands of car were significantly more likely to drive recklessly.
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The study's lead author, Alan Tapp, professor of social marketing at the University of the West of England, said: “All things being equal, you’d expect the same proportion of aggressive manoeuvres across all types.”
However, he found that collisions caused by 'risky' or 'aggressive' driving were far more prevalent in brands of vehicle advertised as 'performance' cars — those with 'advertising and marketing that seems to celebrate performance driving, look at me, king-of-the-road stuff.'
It kind of makes sense when you consider that boy racers all seem to drive the same cars.
Brands of vehicle involved in the most 'injudicious action' include Subarus, Porsches and BMWs. Meanwhile, the humble Skoda was found to one of the safest cars on the road.
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Academics behind the study, which was published in the Journal of Social Marketing, have now called for further research into the marketing of cars, saying that branding could be to blame.
“It’s chicken and egg – do aggressive drivers choose certain cars, or do brands make things worse?” Tapp says.
“We know that some car makes spend hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide every year promoting their cars with imagery that, in some cases, subtly implies a connection between their make of car and high performance driving. We also know that the design of some makes seems to appeal to drivers who may want to push the boundaries of performance.
“Of course, these manufacturers abide by the laws and regulations that govern them and we are not suggesting otherwise. But now that this data has come to light, should we be pressing the manufacturers and regulators to take another look at the way in which modern marketing techniques might have an adverse effect on road safety?”
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Spokespersons for the three most culpable brands of car assured that safety is always their top priority.
BMW said: “Nothing is more important than safety… This is also reflected in the way in which we market our cars in the UK and we spend a great deal of time and care in meeting the high standards set by the Advertising Standards Authority.”
Meanwhile, representatives for Porsche claimed, "Safety at the wheel is of paramount importance to us."
And Subaru explained that they had changed their focus since the 2011-2015 data cited in the paper, saying: “Our core pillars are safety, capability and reliability. We no longer import the sporty range from our rallying days to the UK. Our SUVs are very family-focused and we’re proud to have the 5-star Euro NCAP rating across the entire range.”