Ghost Riding A Dangerous Form Of Car Surfing

Car surfing," a phrase coined in the '80s, refers to the act of riding or "surfing" on the exterior of a moving vehicle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Over the years, this dangerous thrill-seeking activity has not only become increasing popular among teenagers, it has also taken on many variations, such as ghost riding and highway surfing.

Ghost riding is when an individual exits a moving vehicle to dance, run, or walk either beside, behind, or on top of it. This dangerous activity was first popularized by Oakland rapper E-40s song Tell Me When to Go, with its chorus Ghost ride the whipthe whip being a car. In the years following the songs release, teenagers have frequently attempted to emulate E-40 and other rappers, often with tragic consequences. An 18-year-old Stockton man suffered fatal injuries when his head slammed into a parked car as he hung out the window of his own moving vehicle in 2006. More recently, a 17-year-old Brentwood girl was attempting to dance on the footstep of her Chevy Blazer when she fell and was run over by the car, sustaining serious injuries.

Numerous accidents resulting in serious or fatal injuries have accompanied this dangerous trend: in Stockton, an 18-year-old slammed his head against a parked car while hanging out of the window of his own moving vehicle; he died from the head injuries he sustained. In Brentwood, a 17-year-old girl was run over by her own car after attempting to dance on the driver-side footstep. She survived but suffered serious injuries.

The most literal interpretation of car surfing is when an individual stands on the roof of a moving car. Last May, Malibu teen, Johnny Strange, made headlines when he climbed out of a BMW driving 50 miles an hour down Pacific Coast Highway to surf on its hood. Despite the public censure his actions elicited, teenagers throughout Southern California continued to partake in this dangerous activity.

While Johnny Strange was able to return to his life unscathed after his car surfing adventure, many teenagers have not. Between 1990 and 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, recorded 99 incidents of car surfing that resulted in injuries: 58 of the injuries were fatal and 41 were serious. 45 of the 58 fatalities were caused by severe head trauma. Teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19 years old accounted for 69 percent of the 99 incidents.

These car surfing accidents also have a tremendous impact of the lives of the teenage drivers who allowed their friends to surf on their cars. One Lake Forest teen was charged with felony hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter for fleeing the scene after a 14-year-old boy fell out of his open trunk and sustained fatal head injuries. In addition, the parents of the injured or deceased teenagers often obtain the services of a California injury attorney to seek monetary compensation from the drivers or their parents.

If you witness ghost riding occurring in your area, contact the proper authorities immediately. Hopefully, they will arrive in time to prevent an accident.

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