Some background: reckless driving and young deaths on Australian roads are a fairly big problem here. We've got lots of long roads, lots of kids with big cars, and a culture of people driving big cars fast. It's been a problem in Australian society for decades, but since games are around these days, they're becoming a convenient scapegoat amongst those who should really know better (ie the police). Having armed himself with a German report on the subject, Superintendent Dave Evans of the NSW Police has told the Daily Telegraph:
Video games can have a negative impact on young drivers because it increases their complacency and their indulgence in risk-taking behaviour. In games you race, you crash and it is a matter of pressing the buttons and off you go again. In real life it doesn't work that way, you can be killed.
Do any of you kids really think that real life driving comes with Gran Turismo crash modelling? Video games kill driving skills, police say [Daily Telegraph]