CDC: Teens hurt or killed by 'car surfing'

ATLANTA, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. teens are being injured or killed by riding on the outside of a moving vehicle -- an activity known as car surfing, federal health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality weekly report said a review of newspaper articles noted that car surfing injuries and deaths were reported at a wide range of vehicle speeds, from as low as 5 mph up to 80 mph.

CDC researchers examined news reports from January 1990 to August 2008 and found 99 reported incidents of car surfing, 58 percent of which were fatal.

"While car surfing may be appealing to teens and others, our recommendation is simple -- don't do it! Even a vehicle moving at a slow speed can be deadly," lead author Dr. John Halpin said in a statement. "Parents should talk to their teens about the dangers of car surfing, especially if they feel that 'car surfing' has gained attention and popularity in their community."

In the news stories reviewed, the average age of those injured or killed was 17.6 years, with males accounting for 70 percent of the victims. About 75 percent of the reported car surfing deaths were caused by a bump or blow to the head.