Study: Racing games may spur risky driving

by Blake Snow { Mar 19th 2007 at 12:55PM }

According to a new study by German researchers (who also make damn fine automobiles), people who play racing games with realistic driving environments are more likely to get into an actual wreck than those who don't play video games. The study questioned 198 men on women on their willingness to take driving risks. The ones that played driving games ended up taking greater risks and were more prone to reckless driving according to the study. Believe it or not.

[Thanks to all who sent this in]

Tags: racing games, RacingGames

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

AirIntake @ Mar 19th 2007 12:59PM

...or were they more likely to play realistic racing games because they already liked to drive recklessly?

Brian @ Mar 19th 2007 1:00PM

For those of you in the "Don't believe it" category, you're in luck! The actual paper (available for free at the JEP:Applied website) does not make such strong claims.

This is another Reuters reporter gone wild, who has not read the actual paper. I guess stirring up a frenzy beats boring "facts" any day, right?

Glenn Pratt @ Mar 19th 2007 1:01PM

Study: Risky drivers enjoy racing simulations.

Not quite as shocking when you put it that way.

Jack of No Trades @ Mar 19th 2007 1:04PM

LOL I had 6 speeding tickets way before I played Burnout. Games don't make you into a speed demon. Its how male 16-30 year olds drive. We are programmed for risk taking.

Shagittarius @ Mar 19th 2007 1:07PM

Oddly enough people who play Cooking Mama are less likely to cook.

MaX PL and the 360 r4pe Tr4iN @ Mar 19th 2007 1:10PM

count me in as one of these people.

hvnlysoldr @ Mar 19th 2007 1:11PM

It's like asking a fan of Nascar if he likes racing. Also the study ignored the real culprit. Unrealistic games that really show no consequences to risky driving like Mario Kart or the invincible Gran Turismo.

hegemonyhog @ Mar 19th 2007 1:11PM

"The researchers then studied 68 men and found those who played even one racing game took more risks afterward in traffic situations on a computer simulator than those who played another type of game."

So, the brunt of their experiment was having someone play a videogame where dangerous driving was rewarded, and then they promptly turned around and had them play another driving game.

In other news, when you encourage kids to go beat things with bats, they tend to act up in batting cages immediately thereafter.

Andrew GO @ Mar 19th 2007 1:12PM

"3. Study: Risky drivers enjoy racing simulations.

Not quite as shocking when you put it that way."

EXACTLY!

nepos13 @ Mar 19th 2007 1:12PM

Hmm, my favorite racing games are Burnout 3 takedown and Burnout Revenge. I have their soundtracks in my truck, great driving music. It doesn't mean I am tempted to try checking traffic or road rage. However I will admit that while stuck in traffic, I look at the intersection and wonder how much damage would happen if someone pulled a crashbreaker.

Jb @ Mar 19th 2007 1:23PM

I know every time I get behind the wheel I hear ticking when I turn sharp or tail gate someone.

Neal @ Mar 19th 2007 1:26PM

I love all the Need for Speed games, I have a slightly modded Acura RSX and might be trading it in for an RX-8, Im about to turn 22, and I have 0 tickets ever.

This study blows.

I definatly think the risky drivers enjoy the games, not the games make the risky drivers. I enjoy driving greatly. I enjoy going fast, I enjoy turning hard and drifting my tires in the snow (front wheel drive :D ) thus, my love for driving makes me want to buy the game.

This just in...

We surveyed 100 people... Those who played MLB 2007 enjoyed baseball 100% of the time.

Sensai @ Mar 19th 2007 1:30PM

I'm pretty sure that this article gets a resounding 'Duh' in response.

Sensai @ Mar 19th 2007 1:32PM

Oh, and no one's pointed this out yet. It's also talking about people who enjoy having sex.

'The study questioned 198 men on women on their willingness to take driving risks.'

Jonathan Tran @ Mar 19th 2007 1:39PM

Personally, I feel like racing games DID make me want to drive more recklessly since I felt like I knew how to corner out of high speed handbrake turns and whatnot. I think, however, this is a personal experience, and otherwise it's "chicken and the egg" for many other people. I honestly believe it's a little of both.

Jake @ Mar 19th 2007 1:45PM

Wow, that's crazy. I heard in this other study that people who play Madden are more likely to get drunk on Sunday afternoons during the fall. This video game crap has got to come to an end. It is ruining our country and possibly the world. Americans should only watch television from the 7 biggest networks. We'd be so much easier to deal with that way.

Trauts @ Mar 19th 2007 1:47PM

Strangely enough, I think that doesn't seem to be true for me.

Granted, I've never enjoyed driving. That's why I've never enjoyed "realistic driving environments."

But Burnout is not a realistic driving environment. Not in the slightest. It's modeled on reality, yes, but nothing in the gameplay is really particularly realistic. It's reality defying.

Still, Burnout encourages you to take ridiculous risks. And I enjoy them, in Burnout.

But when I drive in real life, in reality, I find that I am more attune to all the stupid things drivers do.

I find I'm 'sensitized' more than desensitized to risky driving.

Skabber @ Mar 19th 2007 1:54PM

I believe it. I remember getting into my Mom's Vovlvo after a few hours of Daytona in the arcade. There were some close calls.

Tom @ Mar 19th 2007 1:57PM

When I'm driving there's always these HUD icons floating in mid-air above and to the left and right of my car... anyone else experienced this problem?

Brett @ Mar 19th 2007 1:57PM

On the contrary, I think that video games have IMPROVED my ability to drive.

Driving requires reflexes split second thought decisions, perception, etc. all which I feel is enhanced by video gaming.

The greater threat to the road are people who are slow to react and inability to be aware of their surroundings/conditions.

Jon @ Mar 19th 2007 2:11PM

Thank god you guys are not doing any research. The research titles says that playing racing games 'MAY' spur risky driving.

Bman @ Mar 19th 2007 2:13PM

Hilarous, as the racing "tests" in Gran Turismo 2 and 3 actually helped my driving skills. They teach advanced driving techniques that you can easily apply in RL.

I'd enjoy a series of tests that showed how 2 student drivers, one with training in Gran Turismo and one without, would fare in a series of risky or dangerous driving scenarios.

Brian @ Mar 19th 2007 2:19PM

Adding the word "may" does not excuse reporters from grossly overstating the results of a study.

Reuters headline: "Video racing games may spur risky driving"

Actual title of journal article: "Virtual Driving and Risk Taking: Do Racing Games Increase Risk-Taking Cognitions, Affect, and Behaviors?"

Which one sounds more exciting? Which one sounds more accurate? They're rarely the same thing.

OhJustSomeRandomGuy @ Mar 19th 2007 2:26PM

Yeah, the above correlation may have some truth to it. But, try this test. Go to a go-kart racing track that has some speedy go-karts, and drive a couple race. I bet once you get in your car and leave the parking you'll be driving your car the same way you were driving the go-kart minutes earlier.

J8675309 @ Mar 19th 2007 2:39PM

I believe it, I've noticed in my own driving. It has me worried. Also I feel like Driving sims or close to them such as PGR3 have more real-life effect on my driving than games like Burnout.

Neal @ Mar 19th 2007 3:01PM

@ 21

Yeah, it says "May" implying, does, or has.

They wouldn't say it if it doesn't imply it being true.

Talking on cell phones may cause cancer.

Flipping up your collar on a shirt may make you look like a douchebag.

Its all implying its true.

This article is no different than any other Video game aritcle out there that says "Video game X makes you want to do X" where "X" can be any number of things.

Audlts write articles on video games because generally its kids/young adults who play them, and if they blame video games, it makes sense. You never see a car robbery by a 40 year old guy on the news, and hear the news say "you know, he probably saw that from a movie" They don't blame movies as much cause they watch them.

Neal @ Mar 19th 2007 3:03PM

To continue my little rant...

Whatever happened to people blaming shitty parenting? Do video games have an effect on what people think? Yes, without a doubt, but when I play halo or something, do I wanna go out and go shoot shit? Hell yeah. So I grab my paintball gun and call some friends. Fun, harmless. Good parenting has taught me not to grab an actual gun and shoot someone.

Agent MOO @ Mar 19th 2007 3:09PM

The gran turismo driving challenges really make you think that way. I picture the apex of some complex turns I take every day to work and drive them as I would in the game, although much more slowly ;)

vadermaggot @ Mar 19th 2007 3:18PM

I love racing games and I drive recklessly. go figure... get out of the F**kin'way a-holes!!

sheppy @ Mar 19th 2007 3:23PM

I have noticed, ever since I've started playing GOW II, anytime I encounter an evil stray mutt with a blue glowing mouth, I tend to grab it and dropkick it into sacrificial pyres. So maybe this report has SOME basis in reality.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to grab the feet of some eagles in hopes of reaching the higher ledges, where god tends to keep the invisible door to the negaverse...

Je2037 @ Mar 19th 2007 3:41PM

When will they just start blaming people for their actions? There's no cure, there's no cause. People will always naturally do stupid/reckless things.

Grindstone @ Mar 19th 2007 4:17PM

Hmm, and I got 6 speeding tickets in less than 3 years (5 of them in 13 months in 3 different states) and yet, I really did not like racing games at all. Flash forward 6 years later, and I've not had another ticket since. Odd what getting married does to a man.

This article is meant to sensationalize more than edify the average reader.

sheppy @ Mar 19th 2007 4:43PM

As if we need games to make people into bad drivers. Bad drivers don't need games to make them bad, they're just bad.

Then again, I never ran down any pedestrians, or beat any tranny prostitutes to death until after I had played GTA3. So, maybe they're right. But I also never got with those tranny prostitutes until after I got my Wii.

Mr Khan @ Mar 19th 2007 5:13PM

I feel the opposite

realistic racing games like Gran Turismo, and even unrealistic racing games like F-Zero or Mario Kart really taught me some of the basic mechanics of driving (although i wish they had had paralell parking simulators ), and helped me develop the basic skills that allowed me to pick up driving fast and easily

Of course, occasionally, i'll make a rash decision for fun and to save time (like when i pulled into the passing lane that was covered with snow to pass all the other cars that were going 45 mph, so that i could go buy Kirby Squeak Squad)

Noxat @ Mar 19th 2007 5:25PM

After playing Burnout? Yeah I'd say maybe I'm more risky on the road. After playing a game like Gran Turismo I feel like I'm a safer driver... except the undeniable urge to ram in to the other cars when taking a tight turn too fast to avoid skidding off the road...?

Noxat @ Mar 19th 2007 5:26PM

sheppy @ Mar 19th 2007 6:46PM

Goddammit!!! Stop it you fucking shrimp raping freak!

Jim @ Mar 19th 2007 9:10PM

Warning: Reading studies like these may make your head hurt (badly).

Steve @ Mar 19th 2007 9:33PM

In July 2001 our office let us out early on Friday, but I spent a couple hours playing an online racing game with some other co-workers. We didn't play by the rules; one of us would drive around and the others would try to smash into him.

On my way home I drove into the back of a car. It was totally my fault and was the first time in 10 years that I caused an accident and I haven't caused one since.

It didn't take long for the humor to hit me. Video games made me do it!

BloodyDuck @ Mar 20th 2007 2:12PM

This is so silly. People seem to feel that talking to scientists absolves them of the need to actually think about what they're saying. There are huge flaws in the logic here... just a few being:

- The basic correlation that's being made here isn't very strong
- Correlation and causation are entirely different
- The simulator only measured short-term impact, not long-term performance

And yet these people are actually advocating age restrictions. Are they aware that people under age 16 don't get to drive by themselves in the first place?

-Geoff
http://alinktothefuture.com/2007/03/19/fun-with-statistics-part-2/ (more complaints here)