Health & Well-Being

In video games like Need for Speed, movies like The Fast and the Furious, and on the streets of your town. And it's killing teenagers all across North America.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1 in 3 fatal crashes involving teenagers are due to excessive speed. Most are caused by impromptu "challenges" at stoplights. But more and more kids are killed in organized drag races with dozens of drivers and hundreds of spectators.

So, how can you tell if your kid is street racing? Here are the telltale signs, courtesy of Captain Greg Meyer of the Los Angeles Police Department:

• First, racing is hard on tires. So look for excessive wear, particularly on the back ones.
• Then, if your child constantly tinkers under the hood, or modifies the engine and exhaust system, find out why. There's a good chance they're trying to increase the car's maximum speed.
• Another way to tell if your kid is involved in street racing is: The kind of hours they keep. Most organized races happen in isolated areas in the wee hours of morning.
• They could also be racing if they're obsessed with a particular type of car. For example, Japanese imports like Hondas, Toyota, and Nissans, or American muscle cars like Mustangs, Camaros and Trans Ams.

So, if you suspect your teen is racing, what can you do about it?

• Talk to them about the car tragedies in your community. And tell your teen that if they're ever dared to do something risky, they can make you the bad guy and say, "I can't. My mom'll cut me off and kick me out!"
• If they get a speeding ticket, don't just make them pay the fine. Take the car away for awhile.
• And the final tip to help your teens avoid street racing is: Think twice before you give them their own wheels. Kids are less likely to race when they're driving the family car.