Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Car culture

Friday Video: How Violent Media Makes Road Violence Worse

From video games to movies to social media trends, the glamorization of road violence is everywhere — and a new documentary seeks to expose how that translates to real lives lost.

Graphic: Still from "Power Trip."

Reckless driving is all over American roads — but it's even more common in our car commercials, video games, action movies, and social media feeds, often with none of the tragic consequences that happen in real life. But how much of our roadway death crisis can be blamed on our media culture, and how can we stop motorists from mimicking what they see on so many of their screens?

That's the question at the heart of a fascinating new documentary, "Power Trip" from investigative reporter Myron Levin, featuring hard-hitting interviews with experts, advocates, traffic victims and their survivors — many of whom will be familiar faces to Streetsblog readers. We don't usually feature full-length films for Friday video, but we encourage you to take a longer break today and watch this one.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Are Over ICE

Traffic safety and transportation funding continue to get tangled up in immigration enforcement under Trump.

February 20, 2026

Talking Headways Podcast: Women Changing Cities

Chris and Melissa Bruntlett on their new book and the mobility of care work and the unpaid labor that undergirds the economy.

February 19, 2026

Calif. Advocates Stand Against Proposed Nuisance E-Bike Laws

...and for enforcement of good e-moto laws already on the books.

February 19, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines Walk Hard

Where you live probably has a lot to do with how much you walk.

February 19, 2026

When The Suburbs Want To Opt Out of Funding Regional Transit

A messy transit funding fight in Dallas may have reached a pause — but some advocates fear the détente won't hold.

February 19, 2026
See all posts