s fact has paid off big for after-market parts distributors and for magazine publishers. The parts distributors offer “bolt-on-performance” upgrades for the speed enthusiast to install on their own. Max Speed, Super Street, Turbo, and Sport Compact Car are just a few of the magazines that have exploited this new trend. This interest in speed upgrades has led to the installation of many local car clubs that trade speed tips and race on the weekends. One club local to Washington D.C. is Absolut Imports, whose name was derived from the alcohol of choice among the members, Absolut Vodka, which raises a red flag. Clubs such as this one participate in legal and illegal racing, generally known as “drag racing.” Legal drag racing occurs at sanctioned racetracks, where drivers can pay to see their cars at top speed. Illegal racing usually takes place on abandoned stretches of highway or airstrips. Illegal racing is exceedingly dangerous due to the high speeds and the lack of medical personnel. Not only is it dangerous, but it is also a criminal offense. These clubs and magazines appeal mostly to males, who not coincidentally are also most likely to speed. In answer to the question, ”Who speeds most?” the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety responds: “Studies in California have found that the rate of speeding violations per mile is at least three times as high for drivers 16-19 years old as it is for drivers aged thirty and over. At all ages, male drivers are more likely than female drivers to be involved in speed-related fatal crashes.” This is not to say that only young males exceed speed limits, for individuals of all age and gender group’s speed. Regardless of who it is that is speeding, there are proponents of greater speed restrictions who believe that the speeding must stop. Speed limit laws, which date to 1901, have been the responsibility of the states. During the oil ...
