IIHS Study Links Car Ads to Speeding Culture, But Road Design May Be Bigger Culprit

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has raised concerns about how car advertisements may be normalizing risky driving habits, particularly speeding. According to a recent study, automakers are prioritizing themes of speed, power, traction, and performance while reducing safety messaging in their ads.

The organization warns that dramatic driving scenes—such as smoky drifts, sharp corners, and off-road stunts—could be contributing to a culture that accepts speeding as normal. While speeding is undeniably deadly, the IIHS’s focus on ads may overlook deeper systemic issues.

Key Findings from the IIHS Study

Researchers analyzed nearly 3,000 television and digital ads and found:

• Performance themes appeared in 42.7% of ads.
• Safety messaging was present in only 8.1% of ads.
• Performance-focused advertising has increased significantly over time.

The study acknowledges that it does not establish a direct causal link between car ads and driver behavior, stating that the findings suggest a potential correlation worth examining.

Why Road Design May Be the Real Issue

The IIHS has long advocated for Safe System principles and infrastructure changes to reduce dangerous driving. However, critics argue that road design itself often encourages speeding, regardless of advertising.

Many American roads—especially suburban arterials—are built with wide lanes, long sightlines, and minimal visual constraints, resembling airport runways rather than city streets. When officials post a 35-mph speed limit on such roads, drivers often ignore it, naturally gravitating toward speeds of 50 mph or higher.

This phenomenon suggests that road design, not just car ads, plays a major role in shaping driver behavior.

Speeding Remains a Deadly Problem

In 2024 alone, over 11,000 people died in speed-related crashes in the U.S. While the IIHS highlights a concerning trend in advertising, the organization’s own research indicates that systemic road design issues may be an even greater factor in promoting unsafe driving habits.