By Gary S. Vasilash

“The simple fact is, no matter how skilled the driver, speed affects both the likelihood of a crash and the severity of crash injuries. High speeds leave a driver less time to react, less room to brake and less chance of surviving the force of a potential crash. Why are we promoting car sales by glorifying speed?”—Chuck Farmer, vp, Research & Statistical Services, IIHS

Likelihood and severity: 300,000 auto-related injuries in the U.S.; 12,000 deaths related to speed.

Farmer wrote a piece on the IIHS website calling into question OEM advertising that is predicated on “glorifying speed.”

He notes: “One might suppose that the viewer is aware enough to separate fantasy from reality, and we all know that speeding is dangerous.”

Do we?

“We’re all above-average drivers.”

And live in Lake Woebegon.

“We would never try to imitate the extreme stunt driving seen in the ads.”

We might not, but what about the kid down the street?

“But might we be tempted to push the boundaries of speed just a bit?”

Might the sun rise tomorrow?

Listen to the rhetoric surrounding electric vehicles. You’ll undoubtedly hear about its performance—as in torque and speed, not as in savings of electricity over gas or in the improved emissions performance.

“Buy and EV because it is really quick.”

Farmer:

“Today’s vehicles are more reliable, more efficient, more comfortable and safer than ever before. Shouldn’t that be enough of a selling point?”

Apparently not.