Bad news for BMW, Porsche or Subaru drivers. Researchers from the UK analyzed 400,000 road accidents and most looked at situations involving ‘risky or aggressive maneuvers’. What happened? If any of the three brands above are involved, reckless driving behavior is more likely to play a role than if, for example, a Skoda or Hyundai caused the accident.

Researchers understand ‘reckless driving’ to include ignoring red lights, driving too fast and ignoring full lanes or zebra crossings. The fact that certain car brands were more frequently involved in such situations led the researchers to suspect that marketing played a role. For example, manufacturers BMW, Porsche and Subaru are said to be increasingly advertising that ‘performance-oriented’ driving is paramount. “Look at me, king of the road,” said Alan Tapp, professor of social marketing at the University of the West of England and lead author of the study.

In British newspapers Guard he explains how they came to that conclusion. “It’s a chicken-or-egg issue: do aggressive drivers choose certain cars or do brands make things worse?” Tapp said. “We know that some car brands spend hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide each year to promote their cars with imagery that, in some cases, subtly implies a connection between their car brand and driving performance. And we also know that some brands’ designs seem to appeal to drivers who want to push those performance limits.”

That’s what Subaru looks like on TV shows Top Gear Presented as a car with a powerful engine, it was praised there for “looking straight out of a Playstation game”, reinforcing that image. According to co-author Dan Campsall, drivers of these car brands received “mixed signals” about what was expected of them. “Even though manufacturers are introducing all kinds of new technology to improve safety, drivers are still just people.”

The brands involved agree Guard that safety is the main thing. Porsche owners can even take courses with the company to fully understand their car and perfect their driving skills. Additionally, there are strict requirements for car advertising in the UK. Tapp acknowledged that brands comply with these requirements, but believes that the influence of marketing techniques on road safety needs to be further investigated.