More than a third of young drivers are more likely to go faster on the roads after playing on-screen driving games, a survey suggests.
And 27% of motorists aged 16 to 24 admitted more risk-taking on the road after a gaming session.

A thousand drivers were questioned on behalf of driving school BSM.

BSM's road safety consultant Robin Cummins said the results showed an 'indisputable' link between gaming and dangerous driving.

A quarter of drivers even said they imagine they are in a driving simulation game while driving for real - men are the worst offenders for this.

The poll also found that 34% of the 1,000 young drivers questioned think computer games can improve real-life driving ability, with two in five reckoning the games can help their reflexes.

The guy in front, the music on the stereo...those are the things that make you speed up

David Perry

The survey revealed that just over half of frequent game-players pass their driving test first time, compared with only 45% of those who only play games infrequently.

Mr Cummins said: "With more than 200 young people killed each year due to speeding alone, it's crucial that they learn to 'keep it real' on the road."

But the survey's findings have been rejected by the US-based games designer David Perry.

The multi-millionaire from Belfast, who is currently designing a driving video game, said behaviour was affected by how drivers felt while behind the wheel, not before they got in their car.

"Anything that affects your emotions will affect how you drive. The guy in front, the music on the stereo...those are the things that make you speed up, not a game you played an hour ago."

Via BBC News

those video games are killer

i dont know about driving games, but when im in a crowded mall i think about GTA..... and zombie movies...


why dont they test the folks that go to LIVE RACES?? i went to the national drag races once and almnost killed myself on the way home seeing how fast i could get in 30 seconds....

mario makes me eat mushrooms

then i play doom and i want to shoot something

then i play twisted metal and want to shoot something-while high on mushrooms-while driving

then i watch a porno, this make me want to shootsomethingwhiledrivingonmushroomswhilegettingroadhead...


how about a scientific study?

You might want to look into getting some help buddy....lol Thats some funny stuff though!

lol greene thats pretty funny. I think they get a little out of hand blaming video games for everything in today.

Its like I read a book about a serial killer and now I'm going to do that too. Might as well as blame the author and he should go to jail too.

could be race games arent going so fast after all

I personally don't feel that I do that after playing driving games but I do, do it after
1: Being in my friend 2.0 liter turbo injection Subaru Impretza
2: After I go go-karting or something of a similar nature!

ima go faster!!! vrookm vrooom vroom!! but will it make me a better driver?

when will it stop, video games and other media influence the weak minded and even then it requires alot i think to make someone do anything violent or dangerous, unless of course the initial intentions are already there. The media needs to stop blaming videogames and start looking at how ppl should hold personal accountability for their actions.

well if u gt a micra in real life and got sum porshe in the game u arent exactly going to go the speed u want to go

why dont we make a claim that video game players are more prone to piss their pants in other situations in life. that would make just about as much sense.