The BBC has denied that Top Gear condones speeding, after a new report was published suggesting that popular culture encourages dangerous driving. The report, from Co-Operative Insurance, said that TV shows, films and computer games were giving rise to a dangerous culture among UK drivers of exceeding the speed limit. And it accused high-speed chases in shows such as Top Gear as having "built up a cachet of excitement and glamour around speeding." A statement on behalf of the show refuted this claim. "To say that Top Gear is all about fast cars, is devoted to speeding and targets a younger audience is simply not true," the statement said. "Top Gear in no way condones exceeding the speed limit.To truly test 'supercars', they have to be driven to their limits. "These tests are done under tightly controlled conditions on a private track, with the full assistance of health and safety. "Not all Top Gear films feature fast cars - many of the most popular films involve epic journeys or simply modifying cars. The target audience of Top Gear is 25 to 44 year olds." David Neave, director of general insurance at Co-Operative, said, "It is undoubtedly the case that games, TV and films have fuelled the increase in speeding. The Fast And The Furious computer game and Top Gear are devoted to speeding and are targeted at a younger audience who are more likely to be encouraged to speed."
