A teenager died and Colorado authorities have issued a grave warning against the dangerous activity of “car surfing,” emphasizing its potentially fatal consequences.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office revealed in a news release that on May 5, a 16-year-old boy sustained critical injuries and later died when a vehicle involved in car surfing overturned. Car surfing involves riding on the outside of a moving vehicle being driven by another person. According to sheriff’s officials, witnesses observed passengers hanging out of the vehicle’s windows shortly before the accident. This incident is part of a concerning trend, with at least five other reported instances of this phenomenon involving teenagers in recent weeks in Douglas County, leading the sheriff’s office to label it a “deadly trend.”
On April 17, a deputy’s dash cam video captured footage of two teens sitting on the roof of a moving car through an open sunroof, as recounted by officials. On May 12, a concerned citizen sent the department photographs depicting a juvenile sitting on the rear passenger ledge of a moving vehicle.
The sheriff’s office emphasized that no thrill or adrenaline rush is worth risking one’s life or the lives of friends and family members. The origins of this trend remain unclear, with Sergeant Jeff Burke saying that he had not identified any recent social media challenges or influences that would explain why kids are engaging in such risky behavior.
Authorities have urged teenagers to recognize the value of life and to speak out against dangerous trends. They also reminded drivers that they could face arrest for reckless driving or other related charges.
In 2018, a car surfing incident claimed the life of a teenager named Ryan Mullen in New York. He had paid an Uber driver $40 to let him and a friend engage in the dangerous stunt. Ryan’s parents have since been advocating for stricter regulations for rideshare drivers.