Reckless Teen + Dodge Viper =

[General Geoff]

http://www.theiowachannel.com/news/4280351/detail.html

DES MOINES, Iowa -- One man died after a fatal crash Saturday night in Van Meter.

Andrew Robison, 17, was driving his 2004 Dodge Viper northbound on R-16, when it went off the road and hit a utility pole at about 5:37 p.m. Saturday, according to an Iowa State Patrol report.

The passenger, 18-year-old Trevor Stewart, died in the crash. Robison was taken by helicopter to an area hospital.

Police said charges are pending.

Stewart was a senior at Van Meter High School. The school district's superintendent said that counselors will be at school Monday to talk to student.

Someone give Andrew's mom and dad the "Parents of the Year" award for giving their 17 year old son a brand-new 500 horsepower roadster.

[gaekwad2]

They sure deserve a Darwin award. Let's hope they don't have more children.

edit: Crap, the passenger died. Well, maybe their son won't make it either or at least won't be able to breed.

[bgesley]

wtf how is that the parents fault?

[General Geoff]

The likelyhood of him crashing into something and killing his passenger would be greatly reduced with a safer, less powerful car. It is the parents who supplied him with a 190mph V10 ragtop, which is probably the least safe car you could ever drive, regardless of age or experience.

[deeder7001]

it's only unsafe when you take the car to a high speed and you're not on the freeway.

[bgesley]

The didn't state how fast he was going. His passenger could've even died if he was driving a VW Beetle. Besides, its his car, its his responsibility. Parents only provided the funds. When his parents bought the car they obviously gave him the responsibilty to use the car.

The parents shouldn't be at fault because they provided the funds for the car. Thats like saying Hertz rent-a-car is responsible for a crime if a few people use the car for a bank heist

[General Geoff]

Well let me tell you something, I'd be damn tempted to go really freaking fast everywhere if I had a Viper. It's all about driver discipline, and driving experience. You're not going to know how to properly handle a 500hp rwd car at 17, not in all driving situations. It only takes one slip-up for an edgy sports car like a Viper to bite you in the ass, and leave you for dead.

And while it's true that it is ultimately the driver's fault, I'm just saying that the parents could have been a little more responsible and modest in choosing a sensible car for their teenager.

[ShyShy]

Geoff has a very valid point. Law enforcement and insurance companies are practically begging parents not to buy their teens sport cars and SUVs due to their driving inexperience and just flat out immaturity.

And my insurance agent once told me that some companies immediately tack on a higher rate on teens that drive sport cars and SUVs.

[MegaRock]

Originally posted by General Geoff
http://www.theiowachannel.com/news/4280351/detail.html



Someone give Andrew's mom and dad the "Parents of the Year" award for giving their 17 year old son a brand-new 500 horsepower roadster.

Just had the same thing happen here in town except it was one of the fancy Mustangs. Snapped a tree in half. In just this short part of the year there has been at least one death a week involving a teen and either a beefed up sports car or an SUV.

Bad thing about rich parents - easier to buy a kid happiness than take care of them.

[Jay]

Originally posted by MegaRock
Bad thing about rich parents - easier to buy a kid happiness than take care of them.

it's not rich parents, it is irresponsible parents.

[Mattress]

That's a sad story.

I knew a guy who was trying to sell his sports car and he refused to sell it to some lady who wanted to get it for her teenage son.

[Jay]

Yea, I agree, this guy's parents should have been in the car instead.

[deeder7001]

my car isn't that powerful but i still liked trying to go fast in it at times. i got it up to 115mph once but it took a while to get there.

[MidnightViper88]

Bastard doesn't deserve the Viper...

I should've knocked that kid and boosted the thing while it was still alive...

[Smeggle]

Got to agree with Geoff myself...Parents are a set of morons. A sad happening that was easily preventable and the parents are more to blame IMHO as they would or should know that a car of this calibre takes a lot of experiance to drive.

Thats what materealism does for you, cause thats what this basically comes down to bloody Materealistic nonsence that has lost one kid his life and well either way the 17 year old's life is gonna be screwed.

[MegaRock]

Originally posted by KXRM
it's not rich parents, it is irresponsible parents.

I would have said that except not too many poor parents buy their kids Vipers. They usually end up with old 74 Pinto's or something that could never exceed 65 MPH if they dreamed. Here in St. Louis though if you go in the 'affluent' areas teens are seen driving Escalades, Vipers, BMW's, Porsches and the such and they all drive like they are in a NASCAR race.

Go to the poor areas and the kids are either walking, riding bikes or the few that have cars are older cars that just don't go that fast anymore.

But in any case, definately irresponsible. We have plenty of their kind in this town and plenty of their kids die driving their big fancy cars.

[gaekwad2]

Old cars may not be as fast but they're just as insecure.

The difference is that rich parents have a choice.

[General Geoff]

On the contrary, older cars can be even more of a hazard. Take my car for example. '78 Lincoln Mark V, bought it for $500. The thing is capable of 140+mph, and it gets there in a hurry. Give it to the same kid who crashed his new Viper, and instead of killing his passenger by hitting an embankment at 100mph, he'll kill himself, his passenger, and everyone around the car as it becomes a 5,000 pound steel missile, with neither the exquisite brakes nor sticky tires of a Viper to keep the car under control.

[Omega X]

Originally posted by gaekwad2
Old cars may not be as fast but they're just as insecure.

The difference is that rich parents have a choice.

LOL! It really depends on the type of car. Cars back then were BIG and made out of more sturdier stuff than what is made today.

On another note, Rich parents DO HAVE A CHOICE. Your right, soooo shouldn't they be more responsible and buy him a Civic or something? Those things get up pretty good but they also have a pretty good saftey rating.

IF not a simple Civic like most rich people disgust, why not a Kompressor or a low end Mercedes coupe with a good saftey rating?

[CaboWaboAddict]

Originally posted by Omega X
LOL! It really depends on the type of car. Cars back then were BIG and made out of more sturdier stuff than what is made today.

How many old cars do you see with airbags? ABS? Traction control? Collapsable steering columns? Hell my son's car didn't even have seat belts until I put 'em in (they were an option). It don't have backup lights either. Manual steering and brakes. And by the way its not rack and pinion.

Yeah they built 'em tough back then. Run one into a wall at 100Mph and see how tough the dash and steering wheel is (not padded).

I agree, that buying a viper is over-kill (pun intended), but its a darn sight safer than a 60s era muscle-car.

[MidnightViper88]

Passenger might as well have riden in a 60's car then, since apparently he wasn't wearing his seatbelt when they crashed...Not sure if it says so in this story (Too lazy to check the source link), but I've read other sources that said that...

[MegaRock]

Originally posted by General Geoff
On the contrary, older cars can be even more of a hazard. Take my car for example. '78 Lincoln Mark V, bought it for $500.

I'll agree with that to a point but there is an underlying issue.

Take a rich kid around 16 or 17. Not only is there only the slightest chance in hell that a kid that young could afford a Viper or similar fancy expensive sports car but they couldn't afford the insurance either. But then the second issue comes up - being cool. It's something all teens strive to do - look and be cool for their peers. Cool people drive fast and wrecklessly and those are usually the same ones getting in the accidents.

Now take a kid in the 500 dollar Lincoln. His friends aren't going to think he's nearly as cool as the kid with the Viper. Most kids would never buy, drive or even be seen in a car that large and old unless they have no other choice. Unlike the rich kid the poor kid usually (and I stress usually) knows if he wrecks it he won't have another car and mommma and poppa won't be buying him another one. He won't be able to afford the insurance so the poor kid will be back on the shoe leather express.

On the other side of the fence the rich kid can go out and tear the hell out of the Viper since most of the parents will just go out and get him amother car when this one wears out. They're paying the insurance so why should the teen care how much it goes up? And of course the rich teen has to be cool for his uber cool friends so if one of them tell him to drive like an idiot they probably will.

Come to think about it I can't recall a teen driving fatality accident here that involved anything but fancy sports cars and SUV's and there are enough on a regular basis to know. I've never heard of two teens dead in a compact car, four cylinder or similar car - each and every time it's some beefed up vehicle usually at least 20 - 50 grand in value.

Indeed, anyone can go fast in any kind of car and wreck. So why is it always the kids from affluent areas and families that it happens to? Bad parenting? Giving a child something they have no idea how to control themselves in? Who knows but I usually look directly to the parents since it's their job to keep their kids safe and no parent in their right mind would stick their kid in a high power sports car that wants to keep them safe.

[CaboWaboAddict]

Originally posted by MegaRock
Now take a kid in the 500 dollar Lincoln. His friends aren't going to think he's nearly as cool as the kid with the Viper. Most kids would never buy, drive or even be seen in a car that large and old unless they have no other choice. Unlike the rich kid the poor kid usually (and I stress usually) knows if he wrecks it he won't have another car and mommma and poppa won't be buying him another one. He won't be able to afford the insurance so the poor kid will be back on the shoe leather express.

Not always true... my younger son wants a '59 Eldorado convertable for his first car. He's saving already and he's only 13.

[griffinn]

Buy your kid a Segway. It's safe and he/she'll like it.

[Omega X]

Originally posted by griffinn
Buy your kid a Segway. It's safe and he/she'll like it.

I'm pretty sure that can do the speed limit on normal roadways.

[General Geoff]

Originally posted by CaboWaboAddict
Not always true... my younger son wants a '59 Eldorado convertable for his first car. He's saving already and he's only 13.

Convertibles are a whole 'nother ball game. I've wanted a '60s Lincoln Continental 4 door convertible since I was 12, but they're very pricey. A lot of kids would love to own one, I'm not the only one who thinks they're cool:

[Mattress]

that car looks hilarious