Car Surfing

There are some people who just want entertainment and thrill in life. There are many ways that such people go by only for excitement and thrill, which mostly includes things to do with speeding automobiles and bikes. Riding a superbike at high speeds and doing stunts is a traditional method of attracting attention and also feeling the adrenaline rush in the body. But have you every heard of car surfing? There are several different kinds of death-defying stunts that extreme sports enthusiasts do, out of which car surfing is a dangerous one.

What is Car Surfing?

Car surfing, also referred to as urban surfing, is a type of crazy stunt performed by passengers in a car; wherein they get out of the car and do activities like standing on the hood, roof, or trunk, hanging out from the window, and other dangerous stunts while the car is in motion. It is considered to be a form of ghost riding which some or the other way also includes doing similar stunts.

However, there is a small difference. In car surfing, the car is driven by another person, whereas in ghost riding, the driver himself performs the stunts with no one behind the wheel. Performers generally prefer SUVs and trucks over sedans, since the surface of the hood and roof is much flatter, which they think makes surfing easy. In some variations of the stunt, these car surfers even leap from one car to the other, making it all the more risky.

It is believed to be an illegal activity if performed on public places and roads. However, not much is known about the specific laws and regulations regarding car surfing. The popularity is a result of the hippie culture in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is also reported that this got into the spotlight after the release of the 1985 film 'Teen Wolf'. The 2007 movie 'Grindhouse' also caused many youngsters to experiment with this deadly stunt.

Some think that the inclusion of this stunt in video games like 'Grand Theft Auto' has made people try it out. 'Skitching' is another kind of motor vehicle stunt, which includes the person holding onto a moving vehicle and skateboarding or roller skating along.

Car Surfing Injuries and Deaths

Owing to the stunts performed, it is apparent that car surfers are more likely to be prone to accidents, injuries, or even death. According to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control of the USA, there was a data of 58 known deaths and 41 injuries from the time span of 1990 to 2008. A majority of the accidents were reported in the Midwest and Southern regions of the US, wherein around 70% of the injured were in the age group of 15 to 19.

A surprising 58% of accidents resulted in deaths. These figures are approximate and are finalized only with known accidents. Injuries and deaths from ghost riding and skitching are not included, therefore the total numbers of these car accidents can be more. Note that one can be injured or die even if the vehicle is moving at low speeds which you think will not make much of a difference.

Car surfing is certainly one of the most dangerous stunts. Remember that it can be fatal even with wearing the best safety gear and accessories. The bottom line would only be that you should not try this stunt ever in life.