Driven to kill
Subtitle: vehicles as weapons
By: J. Peter Rothe.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: University of Alberta Press
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Edmonton
Language: eng
Number of pages: 246
ISBN-13: 9780888644879
Subjects: Automobiles -- Social aspects; Violent crimes; Traffic violations; Road rage
Description: Overview: The charge: first-degree murder. The murder weapon: a 1987 Ford Escort. A car as a murder weapon? In Driven to Kill, J. Peter Rothe unflinchingly examines the use of vehicles in cases of assault, abduction, rape, gang warfare, terrorism, suicide, and murder. What separates an everyday driver from a motorized menace? Read and find out. Yes, Rothe offers a trove of unprecedented research for sociologists, criminologists, policy makers, police, as well as public health, injury prevention, and traffic safety professionals, but his accessible style speaks to our fascination with car culture and true crime stories.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-236) and index.
Table of contents: title: I. The social context. Roads et cetera ; Dominating social issues ; Symbols and messages ; Corporate interests ; State-sponsored violence ; Violence against nature ; Vehicle theft, robbery, and vandalism ; Roadway workers as victims of violence; title: II. The mediate and intermediate zones. Vengeful driving and road rage ; Sexual assault ; The police as pursuers and victims ; Hit and run ; Gang violence and drive-by shootings ; Carjacking and kidnapping; title: III. The immediate zone. Suicide ; Car bombs ; Homicide.