Video gamers are terrible drivers: Study
By ANITuesday, February 1, 2011
WASHINGTON - A UK study has claimed that people who spend their spare time playing driving video games prove to be more dangerous when put behind the wheel of real cars.
The research was carried out by British tire manufacturer Continental Tyres, based in West Drayton in Middlesex, southeast England, according to IGN.
Researchers said that players of driving games like “Gran Turismo” or “Grand Theft Auto” are liable to take their onscreen tactics with them into the real world, suffering from a higher tendency to run red lights and attempt risky overtaking moves. Ultimately, they are more likely to crash.
“Gamers take more risks than non-gamers, possibly due to the lack of real consequences in the game,” Fox News quoted Tim Bailey, safety expert at Continental Tyres, as saying.
The study also noted that players of driving games would rate their real-world driving skills higher but would still make more insurance claims than others.
The study was published in Monday’s edition of the free London tabloid Metro. (ANI)
