This was written in 2018 and used stats from 2017 and the Chevrolet websites as they were at the time. The websites have changed, but, much of the same info is still there.
America needs to ban “race vehicles” for the sake of our children.
According to data compiled from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) there were 37,461 fatalities due to automobile accidents, of those 10,111 involved speeding as a direct contributing factor, meaning an officer indicated that racing or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor. This figure could be higher if it included deaths indirectly related to speeding. Of these deaths there were 544 children under the age of 5 and 855 deaths for children ages 5 through 14, that totals 1,399 children who senselessly dies due to speeding.
Why are vehicle manufacturers and dealers able to produce, market, and sell vehicles to be driven on America’s roadways that are designed from and comparable to racecars? They design, manufacture, and sell these “race vehicles” with complete disregard for public safety and without culpability.
When it comes to these “race vehicles” there are many manufactures, styles, and types to choose from, but, looking at just one manufacturer, Chevrolet, and two of their performance cars, the Corvette and the Camaro, this is what can be found.
On the website http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/corvette-z06-sports-car, see images, Chevrolet clearly boast of the performance of the Z06 Corvette. They use the following quotes “extreme speed and acceleration,” “When Milliseconds Count,” and “the difference between a checkered flag and second place is measured in milliseconds.” They also state the “Z06 and the C7.R”, the C7.R being an actual racecar, “where codeveloped” and that Z06 and the C7.R where “engineered to dominate the racing competition.” Next, if you go to http://www.chevrolet.com/motorsports/corvette-racing they state that the Z06 actually has more horsepower than the C7.R, which again is an actual racecar. Also found here are the following quotes “to push harder” and “push the limits.” Additionally they offer a reduced rate for 2019 Corvette purchasers at Ron Fellows Performance Driving School so you may “learn all of the capabilities of your new Corvette.”
At http://www.chevrolet.com/motorsports/nascar when speaking of the Camaro ZL1 they state “most authentic connection between track and showroom,” and “designed to dominate on the street, strip and track.”
Lastly from http://www.chevrolet.com/motorsports when speaking of the race technologies in their production cars they say “experience the thrill.”, “From Track to Showroom” and “racing technologies make it into our production cars.”
These all demonstrate that in addition to enticing people to buy their vehicles, auto manufacturers are also enticing, encouraging, and attempting to help people “push the limits” as they say. So call them what you will sports cars, muscle cars, performance cars, or whatever you like, but, they are manufacturing, marketing and selling “race vehicles,” and have been for decades, to be driven on America’s roadways.
An even worse part of the problem is the aftermarket industry of performance parts. They use the same types of advertisement and allow anyone to increase the horsepower or convert their cheap non-“race vehicle” into a “race vehicle.”
With the use of simple common sense vehicle laws, and holding of the manufacturers of these vehicles and/or parts culpable for their decades long participation in the creation of this crisis, the lives of innocent children can be saved. These “race vehicles” do not belong on America’s roadways.
Therefore, a ban of the further manufacture, sales, and ownership of these types of cars for use on America’s roadways needs to be implemented. Also any vehicle, whether marketed or originally manufactured that way or not, that possesses a high capacity horsepower engine also needs to be banned. The top horsepower of any vehicle that is to be driven on America’s roadways should be limited based on the gross weight of the vehicle, top speeds needed on roadways, and a safely acceptable rate of acceleration. There is no need for a vehicle of any sort to have more horsepower than needed for safe driving on America’s roadways.
Additionally, the performance parts industry needs to be better regulated to assure that these parts are not being purchased for use on vehicles that will be driving on America’s roadways. Dealers of these performance parts need to be federally licensed, there needs to be a minimum age limit of 21, and a thorough background check for any previous driving infractions or concerns for those whose wish to purchase these performance parts.
If removing the excessive horsepower from America’s roadways affected the numbers by even just 10% that would have saved the lives of 139 innocent children in one year alone.
America needs to ban “race vehicles” for the sake of our children.
According to data compiled from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) there were 37,461 fatalities due to automobile accidents, of those 10,111 involved speeding as a direct contributing factor, meaning an officer indicated that racing or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor. This figure could be higher if it included deaths indirectly related to speeding. Of these deaths there were 544 children under the age of 5 and 855 deaths for children ages 5 through 14, that totals 1,399 children who senselessly dies due to speeding.
Why are vehicle manufacturers and dealers able to produce, market, and sell vehicles to be driven on America’s roadways that are designed from and comparable to racecars? They design, manufacture, and sell these “race vehicles” with complete disregard for public safety and without culpability.
When it comes to these “race vehicles” there are many manufactures, styles, and types to choose from, but, looking at just one manufacturer, Chevrolet, and two of their performance cars, the Corvette and the Camaro, this is what can be found.
On the website http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/corvette-z06-sports-car, see images, Chevrolet clearly boast of the performance of the Z06 Corvette. They use the following quotes “extreme speed and acceleration,” “When Milliseconds Count,” and “the difference between a checkered flag and second place is measured in milliseconds.” They also state the “Z06 and the C7.R”, the C7.R being an actual racecar, “where codeveloped” and that Z06 and the C7.R where “engineered to dominate the racing competition.” Next, if you go to http://www.chevrolet.com/motorsports/corvette-racing they state that the Z06 actually has more horsepower than the C7.R, which again is an actual racecar. Also found here are the following quotes “to push harder” and “push the limits.” Additionally they offer a reduced rate for 2019 Corvette purchasers at Ron Fellows Performance Driving School so you may “learn all of the capabilities of your new Corvette.”
At http://www.chevrolet.com/motorsports/nascar when speaking of the Camaro ZL1 they state “most authentic connection between track and showroom,” and “designed to dominate on the street, strip and track.”
Lastly from http://www.chevrolet.com/motorsports when speaking of the race technologies in their production cars they say “experience the thrill.”, “From Track to Showroom” and “racing technologies make it into our production cars.”
These all demonstrate that in addition to enticing people to buy their vehicles, auto manufacturers are also enticing, encouraging, and attempting to help people “push the limits” as they say. So call them what you will sports cars, muscle cars, performance cars, or whatever you like, but, they are manufacturing, marketing and selling “race vehicles,” and have been for decades, to be driven on America’s roadways.
An even worse part of the problem is the aftermarket industry of performance parts. They use the same types of advertisement and allow anyone to increase the horsepower or convert their cheap non-“race vehicle” into a “race vehicle.”
With the use of simple common sense vehicle laws, and holding of the manufacturers of these vehicles and/or parts culpable for their decades long participation in the creation of this crisis, the lives of innocent children can be saved. These “race vehicles” do not belong on America’s roadways.
Therefore, a ban of the further manufacture, sales, and ownership of these types of cars for use on America’s roadways needs to be implemented. Also any vehicle, whether marketed or originally manufactured that way or not, that possesses a high capacity horsepower engine also needs to be banned. The top horsepower of any vehicle that is to be driven on America’s roadways should be limited based on the gross weight of the vehicle, top speeds needed on roadways, and a safely acceptable rate of acceleration. There is no need for a vehicle of any sort to have more horsepower than needed for safe driving on America’s roadways.
Additionally, the performance parts industry needs to be better regulated to assure that these parts are not being purchased for use on vehicles that will be driving on America’s roadways. Dealers of these performance parts need to be federally licensed, there needs to be a minimum age limit of 21, and a thorough background check for any previous driving infractions or concerns for those whose wish to purchase these performance parts.
If removing the excessive horsepower from America’s roadways affected the numbers by even just 10% that would have saved the lives of 139 innocent children in one year alone.