Chases linked to video games

Source: Pursuits: Police say speed, testosterone and cars are lethal

A "lethal cocktail" of testosterone, powerful cars and the influence of video games is being blamed for youths attempting deadly high speed getaway attempts. On February 5, Rotorua 14-year-old Pehi Tahana was killed after he lost control of the stolen car he was driving. He was being chased by police after he took off from a Papamoa service station without paying for petrol. On Tuesday afternoon three youths being pursued on State Highway 30, east of Rotorua, crashed head-on into a car carrying a family.

"It was only through the grace of God that someone was not killed in that crash," said Rotorua police area commander Inspector Bruce Horne. He blamed a "lethal cocktail" of testosterone, the cheapness and availability of high powered vehicles, and the boy racer culture for the increasing number of high speed fatalities. Part of the culture was influenced by video games like Grand Theft Auto and Need for Speed. "It's not just the games but TV as well," Mr Horne said. "There's been a lot of research on it, but young men driving fast is not a new issue. "You can go back decades and still find cases of young guys inclined to take risks. The difference between then and now is that they did not have the fast cars available to them." The problem was not restricted to Rotorua and was happening because young men were frequently speeding recklessly, regardless of whether they were being chased, he said. Acting Bay of Plenty road policing manager Inspector Ed Van Den Broek said that if people tried to flee from the police it was usually because they had something to hide. "The car may be stolen or they may have stolen property or illicit drugs inside." "The thing we have noticed is that the people who try and run from us have very poor driving skills. "I have yet to be involved in a pursuit where I have thought, 'Gosh, that was good driving by the guy we were chasing' ... They [drivers] think they are 10-foot tall and bullet proof." Gareth Schott, who lectures in games studies and media psychology at Waikato University, said while people frequently blamed video games for things like car chases, there was not a lot of research on the subject. He was about to begin a two-year research project investigating the issue, which would include interviews with youths to find out to what degree their behaviour was influenced by games. "Most of the research that has been done has a very poor understanding of [video] games and ... is inconclusive." It was also difficult to isolate games as the major influence, given the wide variety of media in teenagers' lives such as film, television and the YouTube internet site. "Years ago people were asking the same questions of comic books, saying they were immoral and having a bad influence on the kids, even what we now regard as fairly harmless stuff like Superman. "People underestimate how media-literate young people are. Even very young children have a very sophisticated understanding of what they are watching." Meanwhile, two Rotorua 16-year-olds were found in a stolen car during a routine stop by police last night in Union St about 11.30pm. Senior Sergeant Scott Fraser said one of the youths was appearing in the Rotorua Youth Court this morning charged with unlawfully taking a vehicle.