Car-as-a-weapon metaphor lost on boy (and girl) racers?

I spotted this ad on a bus the other day. It’s from a North East England road safety campaign called RoadRespect.org. The website has lots of other graphics, but I couldn’t find this one online so the iPhone grab shot will have to do.

The campaign is aimed at young male drivers, especially new teen motorists. While the car-as-a-weapon metaphor is poignant, I can’t help feeling the message won’t get through to young male drivers. In fact, it probably makes fast, aggressive driving “sexier”.

What do you reckon? A good image to educate drivers that they are in charge of machines that can kill, or a metaphor that equates guns with speed and hence is attractive to testosterone-rich young drivers?

NB. Testosterone is a hormone linked with aggression. Women have less of the stuff than men. But I’ve seen a growing number of girl racers recently. Perhaps they have elevated levels of testosterone and that’s what makes them ape the hot-hatch boy racers?