If a man has driven fast/powerful cars all his life, will he be a ....

[Braznor]

...much safer driver in a normal car??? Will his safety record be much above average than the records of other drivers like us???

I tend to think this statement is not true. But I would like your opinions as there are sure to be drivers of fast cars here. And also especially since we know AT excels in collective wisdom.

 

[Midwayman]

Well, a fast car typically will have a slightly larger performance envelope (better braking and turning in addition to acceleration) That could contribute to having less accidents. However I think it really comes down to the type of driver who buys fast cars, not the car itself. If you look at insurance rates you can see this. Something like a Corvette is actually quite cheap to insure. A Camero on the other hand costs quite a bit more in insurance despite being a cheaper car. Mostly due to the types of drivers.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

No. I've seen unsafe drivers in little 4 bangers and unsafe drivers in V10s.

It all depends on the person and how much of an idiot/how reckless they are.

 

[NetWareHead]

Highly dependent on personality. Impossible to answer. You have the careful types who recognize the faster/expensive car is better built, better handling, better braking, more safety systems and therefore wont try to push an econobox past its limits.

You have the prudent types who reason that they have a fast musclecar in the garage and can satisfy their need for adrenaline when needed. This is not the time to race when driving the honda civic during a work commute.

Then you have the morons who can never get enough of a good thing and not only take risks and speed in their hot rods but also when driving a yugo.

 

[manimal]

my wife complains that I drive slowly and cautiously when im in the minivan. I only go 5-7 over usually and my wife gets impatient. I have 4 cars over 500 hp.

 

[deadlyapp]

Someone used to having a more performance oriented vehicle may actually have a harder time controlling a weak vehicle. I know when I had a sports car and switched to lumpy economy cars I had a harder time determining when to brake and accelerate and also wouldn't gauge corners as well because I was used to a car that was much more nimble.

 

[Squeetard]

For me, yes. Driving for 35 years, racing for 28 years. Very careful on the street. No accidents and have avoided too many to count by being alert and knowing how to control a vehicle.
Then there is the fact that I get all my yaya's out at the track, have no desire to perform on the street and feel it is my duty to project a good image.
My street toy is a 630hp supercharged 2012 Camaro. I think I've squeeled the tires once.

 

[manimal]

Someone used to having a more performance oriented vehicle may actually have a harder time controlling a weak vehicle. I know when I had a sports car and switched to lumpy economy cars I had a harder time determining when to brake and accelerate and also wouldn't gauge corners as well because I was used to a car that was much more nimble.

not really. When you learn how to really control a car getting into a lesser vehicle is just easier. When you slow things down at speed going slow is pretty easy.

 

[Linflas]

For me, yes. Driving for 35 years, racing for 28 years. Very careful on the street. No accidents and have avoided too many to count by being alert and knowing how to control a vehicle.
Then there is the fact that I get all my yaya's out at the track, have no desire to perform on the street and feel it is my duty to project a good image.
My street toy is a 630hp supercharged 2012 Camaro. I think I've squeeled the tires once.

I heard a NASCAR driver interviewed about this once (can't recall the name) and he said when he drives on the street his goal is for no one to notice him i.e. he goes with the flow, doesn't tailgate or ride next to people for extended periods of time, doesn't sit in the left lane, blends with the speed of the traffic etc.

 

[Ruptga]

Highly dependent on personality. Impossible to answer. You have the careful types who recognize the faster/expensive car is better built, better handling, better braking, more safety systems and therefore wont try to push an econobox past its limits.

You have the prudent types who reason that they have a fast musclecar in the garage and can satisfy their need for adrenaline when needed. This is not the time to race when driving the honda civic during a work commute.

Then you have the morons who can never get enough of a good thing and not only take risks and speed in their hot rods but also when driving a yugo.

What he said.

 

[lozina]

Why do cops get to drive recklessly while on non-emergencies?

Many argue they had some "training" *cough* bullshit *cough* to which I reply, where can I get this same certification so I too can drive recklessly without recourse?

 

[Timorous]

...much safer driver in a normal car??? Will his safety record be much above average than the records of other drivers like us???

I tend to think this statement is not true. But I would like your opinions as there are sure to be drivers of fast cars here. And also especially since we know AT excels in collective wisdom.

No. I went from a BMW Z4 3.0Si to a Vauxhall Astra 1.7L diesel and having a slower car does not make me a safer driver. In some cases not having the performance I used to made things worse.

 

[OverVolt]

Well, a fast car typically will have a slightly larger performance envelope (better braking and turning in addition to acceleration) That could contribute to having less accidents. However I think it really comes down to the type of driver who buys fast cars, not the car itself. If you look at insurance rates you can see this. Something like a Corvette is actually quite cheap to insure. A Camero on the other hand costs quite a bit more in insurance despite being a cheaper car. Mostly due to the types of drivers.

Yea types of drivers is the biggest factor in buying a car. I'd never buy a dodge. Their commercials are all explosions. Not to mention hard to get cheap parts and bad reliability on some models. It shows in the insurance rates.

Subaru is good, Nissan in good, IMO. Not much of a toyota fan, but a cheap lexus gets you a good insurance pool. Ford is improving alot these days IMO. GM not so much.

 

[OverVolt]

No. I went from a BMW Z4 3.0Si to a Vauxhall Astra 1.7L diesel and having a slower car does not make me a safer driver. In some cases not having the performance I used to made things worse.

Yea absolutely correct. I won't drive an economy car that rides on 185 wide tires. Not enough grip. Its not safe.

 

[Subyman]

I've driven decent performance cars my whole life and have never been in an accident that I caused. My last speeding ticket was over a decade ago. I have absolutely no desire to race around the streets like a moron.

Something I found interesting was I bought a 135i in 2009. At the time, insurance wasn't too bad on it. When I sold it last year the insurance on that damn thing had gone up nearly 50% and I never had a claim on it. I figure its the fact that the car is getting cheaper and morons that couldn't afford it before are now street racing in it. High school kids and college bros. Seems to happen with nearly every BMW coupe. I had a 330ci that went through the same cycle.

 

[BoomerD]

...much safer driver in a normal car??? Will his safety record be much above average than the records of other drivers like us???

I tend to think this statement is not true. But I would like your opinions as there are sure to be drivers of fast cars here. And also especially since we know AT excels in collective wisdom.

Unfortunately, what we ended up with are real fast cars...and half fast drivers. 😛

 

[SlitheryDee]

Seems like he'd use the superior abilities of the faster car to drive more aggressively overall. His safety record in the fast car would probably be about the same as people with lesser cars because the handling and braking distance of his cars would get him out of some of the situations that his aggressive driving got him in. If he then had to switch to a regular car his record would suddenly become much worse because of the bad habits he had acquired.

 

[Rakehellion]

...much safer driver in a normal car??? Will his safety record be much above average than the records of other drivers like us???

I tend to think this statement is not true. But I would like your opinions as there are sure to be drivers of fast cars here. And also especially since we know AT excels in collective wisdom.

No one has a fast car while they're stuck in traffic.

Well, a fast car typically will have a slightly larger performance envelope (better braking and turning in addition to acceleration) That could contribute to having less accidents.

This. Sports/luxury cars are just better cars in general, with or without the additional engine power.

 

[EvilYoda]

I think that it's more so the application than the car - having spent time on drag strips, autocross, and raceways/circuits, I know that there's a time for everything. Going fast in everyday traffic simply isn't as thrilling. Do I still take advantage of being able to accelerate/turn/brake faster? Sure, but not nearly like I did as a kid.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Only if it was a man. A manly man. A real man's man. That kind of man would have such manly control over anything that angels weep with pride and joy.

 

[moonbogg]

He'll be a fucking asshole and kill someone!

 

[waffleironhead]

I'd say one of the keys to safety is knowing the cars performance characteristics enough to handle situations. Ie braking, cornering, acceleration. For example: Someone used to a lot more power may not realize until to late that you need 15 miles to get a econobox up to speed. Dead on the on ramp.

 

[OverVolt]

I had to rent a versa and someone made a left infront of me that i had to swerve to avoid. it rides on 185s. dash lit up like a christmas tree of asm abs yadda yadda. my car wouldve handled it fine.

 

[destrekor]

It depends on how much the driver actually tests the limits and how well the driver can react to any kind of temporary loss of control, including even a minor wheel spin on rain-slick roads during a slow turn.

Some performance cars have terrific slow-speed grip and cornering grip, and may be harder to lose control of than a basic economy sedan. Other performance cars require a skilled driver to have any chance of testing the abilities of the car. Someone who drives a Viper and has a clean record? They are probably going to be the type that is a good driver in any car.

Some people are just the type that, while they may enjoy fun, they also go out of their way to test the car in safe areas so they can predict the limits in split second decisions. I'd say I'm that type, as whenever I get a new car, I make it a priority to check how well it can brake, corner, and especially around here, how well it behaves in the snow.

To that end, I have indeed discovered that the winter tires I got (first set ever on any car - everyone I know has always accepted all-seasons) have so much more control in snow. Went out and tested after finally having a good measurable snowfall somewhat recently. Very happy with that decision.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Well, a fast car typically will have a slightly larger performance envelope (better braking and turning in addition to acceleration) That could contribute to having less accidents. However I think it really comes down to the type of driver who buys fast cars, not the car itself. If you look at insurance rates you can see this. Something like a Corvette is actually quite cheap to insure. A Camero on the other hand costs quite a bit more in insurance despite being a cheaper car. Mostly due to the types of drivers.

<beats Midwayman with a stick>

It is CAMARO! There is no E in the name! Gahh! Pet peeve of mine.

/rant

Anyway, there is truth to this, although it also depends a bit on your insurance and (obviously) depends on your own record. When I got my 98 Camaro after having had my license for only a couple years (no tickets/infractions) the liability insurance wasn't really much more than my 93 Taurus was before it. Over all the insurance was more as it was worth more and would cost more to fix if I did something to it, but nothing over the top. I figured that was because it was a V6 but when I asked about difference if it was a V8 instead they ran the numbers and the difference was minimal, again because of value of the car.