Kawasaki ZX10R Rider Loses it on Mulholland Highway

A guardrail is one of those things that you either never notice or don't really appreciate its existence until it saves your life.

And that it did when the owner of a Kawasaki ZX10R seemingly locked his front brake (we could be wrong, but that looks to be the culprit from the video) while taking a soft corner on Mulhollland Highway near Malibu California and ended up on the ground sliding dangerously towards the canyon.

Follow the break to watch the video for yourself.

Korean Tow Trucks Break Every Law in the Book while Trying to Reach an Accident Scene First

We completely understand that in certain life-threatening situations, police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles should have the priority on the road - even if that means breaking some laws, as long as they don't endanger the lives of other drivers.

But seriously now, tow trucks violating every single law in the traffic book just to be the first to reach a client at an accident scene is a something out of reason.

In the following video that was shot from a dashboard mounted camera placed in one of at least three tow trucks that were racing against each other on public roads in South Korea, we see the driver passing countless red lights and entering the opposite side of the road with no consideration whatsoever for the rest of the cars.

It's truly amazing that he didn't cause several more accidents during his "Need for Speed" rush…

Mercedes sls Brabus Unleashes a 611HP

Renowned Mercedes-Benz tuning house, Brabus, has chosen the Essen Motor Show, which is Europe's annual tuning extravaganza, to reveal its customized Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster.

Targeting those that want added power and a more personalized look for their open-top SLS AMG, Brabus has developed a detailed program that starts with the engine bay.

A performance kit that consists of newly calibrated engine electronics with special mapping for ignition and injection, and a high-performance, titanium exhaust system with four tail pipes that's 40 percent lighter than the factory unit, bumps maximum output from 571HP (563 bhp) to 611HP (600 bhp).

Additional hardware modifications include an adjustable sport suspension from Bilstein that lowers the ride height by up to 40 mm (1.6-inches) at the touch of a button while the driver can also choose between damper settings that offer a more comfortable or sportier ride than the production car.

As an option, Brabus offers a Front Lift System that can raise the front end of the SLS AMG roadster by 50 millimeters (2.0-inches) by pushing a button on the center console in order to navigate over speed bumps or parking garage ramps. The system works at speeds of up to 30km/h (19mph), at which point it reverts to its original position.

The car also rides on more aggressive rubber - 275/30 ZR 20 at the front and 295/25 ZR 21 at the rear - mounted on 21 inch wheels on the front axle and 22 inch in the rear.

In appearance, the SLS AMG Roadster gains a modified version of the carbon-fibre aero-kit that Brabus has previously developed for the gullwing-door coupe. It includes a front spoiler, covers for the upper air-ducts, side skirts with illuminated Brabus logos, side air-vent trim, gas tank cap, a new rear bumper with side air vents and a diffuser, plus a discreet boot lid spoiler.

Brabus says that customers can order all the aero components in a high-gloss finish, a matte finish or in any color they want.

The final touch is the reworked interior sporting a different speedometer with a 400-km/h (250-mph) dial, stainless-steel scuff plates with backlit BRABUS logo, matte-anodized pedals and custom upholstery.

Corvette Driver Slams into Curb During Autocross

So, you want to learn how to drive, do you? Well, we suppose learning by your mistakes is one way to go with it – albeit a very painful and costly one at that.

This video tells the bitter story of a Chevrolet Corvette owner that was doing just fine during an autocross event at a parking lot up until the moment he thought that he got the hang of it and pushed the car beyond his experience.

The result? A very nasty and ultimately, very expensive encounter with the curb…

The poster of the video on Youtube had this to say:

"This is the first time I've ever witnessed an accident at a speed ventures autocross. It was a pretty fast track and it was his first time up since his last break so the tires were pretty cold & so was the track. The driver was shaken up quite a bit, but he walked away."

You can watch the incident in the video after the jump.

Rally Edition Crash in a Blink of the Eye

As much as we'd like to think otherwise, you never know what's waiting for you around the next corner, as from one moment to the other, your perfect drive can go from stunner to bummer.

During a recent rally in Poland, the driver of a Mitsubishi Colt hatchback was coming fast on a narrow road when some spectators loudly cheered for him the precise moment he passed by.

We don't know if the driver was distracted or not, but a split second later his ride came to an abrupt end when he whammed into a brick fence. Hop over the break to watch the video for yourself.

Motorcyclist Hops Back on Seat, Saves his Life

Of all the "Chuck Norris Approved" videos that we've shown you over time, this one definitely takes the cake. The accident, which involves a small hatchback crashing into a motorcycle, took place on a busy highway in Bangalore, India on November 21.Upon a first look at the security camera footage, it seems that the rider was simply incredibly lucky for making it out alive when the driver of a white hatchback steered to the right of the road hitting his motorcycle.

However, once you slow down the clip (or hit pause and play constantly), you will see that the alert motorcyclist moves towards the back of the bike just before the crash escaping the worse. The careless driver of the car did not stop to see the outcome of the accident he caused. Watch the entire clip after the break.

From 0 to Crash in 18 Seconds: Subaru Impreza STI

Imagine this: you're all suited up, complete with racing helmet, gloves and shoes, bolted in the racing bucket seat of a Subaru Impreza WRX STI with your buddy by your side to experience the thrill of a life time on the race track.

But alas; as soon as the flag goes down your STI stalls and the engine shuts off. Your friend chuckles but no worries, just turn the key and fire up the turbocharged flat four and let's take it from the start.

Okay, we're ready now and yes, 18 seconds later you've reached the final cone and you can unleash the awesome power of Subaru's boxer engine only to…crash into a wall! On the bright side, you may have just set a new track record for the fastest crash ever…

But for those that love a good ending, a couple of months later, our Japanese protagonist got his web redemption (that's what you get from watching too much Tosh.0) by returning to the circuit and completing several laps without a hitch.

Hybrids Safer for Passengers but More Dangerous for Pedestrians

A study conducted by the HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute), an affiliate of the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), shows that on average, hybrid drivers are 25% less likely to be injured in an accident than drivers of non-hybrid models.

"Weight is a big factor," says Matt Moore, HLDI vice president and an author of the report. "Hybrids on average are 10 percent heavier than their standard counterparts. This extra mass gives them an advantage in crashes that their conventional twins don't have."

Moore adds that other factors, such as how, when, and by whom hybrids are driven, may contribute to the result, but researchers have included controls to reduce the impact these factors may have had on the final results.

HLDI’s study included more than 25 pairs of hybrid and conventional-engined versions of the same vehicle.

On the other hand, a separate HLDI study including 17 hybrid and non-hybrid versions of the same vehicle shows that on average, hybrids are 20% more likely, to be involved in pedestrian accidents compared to their conventional versions.

Moore explains that this is the downside of zero emissions driving in city environment: “When hybrids operate in electric-only mode, pedestrians can’t hear them approaching, so they might step out into the roadway without checking first to see what’s coming.”

It’s an issue that has already been pointed out by the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), which pushes for a law demanding that all hybrid or electric vehicles emit a standard warning noise in order to warn pedestrians of their presence.

Toyota and Lexus have announced that they will fit all of their EV and hybrid models with a synthetic motor sound alert that will emit a humming noise when the vehicle is operating on electric power alone.

2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe Excels in NHTSA's New Crash Tests

Here's some more good news for General Motors as the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe is the first car to score the highest possible five-star rating in every individual test of the National Highway Traffic Safery Administration's (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program since the introduction of the new standards in 2011.

The more rigorous federal testing procedures that NHTSA introduced for 20111 include a new side barrier test and a new side pole test that simulates a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side.

“The Camaro has always been about performance, and that includes safety performance,” said Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser. “We always strive for five-star ratings, and the fact that we achieved them under more rigorous requirements is a great accomplishment.”

The 2012 Camaro’s safety specification includes six airbags, the StabiliTrak electronic stability control system and seat belt pretensioners as standard.

GM notes that the five-star rating does not apply to the convertible version, which despite having received a five-star rating in the rollover test, has not yet been tested by the NHTSA under the new 2011 standards.

Ferrari 250 GT Coupe -Literally- Sweeps People off

If you still don't to believe that the 1957 Ferrari Berlinetta 250 GT Coupe's presence is powerful enough to knock people off their feet, then apparently you missed out on this year's North America Mille Miglia Tribute.

Watching the first video, you may think that the driver of the classic Ferrari hit someone, but a quick look at a second clip filmed from a different angle reveals the culprit: the driver of the 250 GT came in a bit too fast and hastily hit the brakes causing the plastic flooring to move and knock down the people.

Click past the break to watch both videos.

Real Life Scooter Accident with a Super Mario Twist :)

What may be a painful incident for one person can be something to laugh about all day for another. Case in point, footage of a non-fatal accident between a careless motorcyclist riding a scooter and a barrier of flexible plastic poles, which has been edited to look like a Super Mario video game. Enjoy a quick laugh in the video that follows after the break. 

Extremely Close Call for Spectators at Rally

Over the years, we have seen plenty of accidents involving racing cars and spectators at rally courses all over the globe, and this one could have had a terrible outcome with many losses and severe injuries.

Fortunately though, the Porsche 911 passed inches -if not less- from the fans watching the race on the side of the road. Trot past the jump to see the video.

Mazda3 Driver Tries to Break Free from Tow Truck Claw

It might not be the best of quality, but this is one crazy video with an even more insane driver. Allow us to explain. The clip shows a Mazda3 sedan as it was being picked up by a tow truck's crane – perhaps for a parking violation or something of the sort.

Nothing weird about that. Well, not until you pay closer attention and see the Japanese model's brake lights going on and off and the wheels spinning – yes, the driver is inside the car and he's trying to break free from the metal claws!

You can watch the clip for yourself right after the break.

Road Rage Quickly Escalates to a Boxing Match but Ends with a…Handshake!

"Road rage" is described as any display of aggression by a driver of any type of vehicle against another motorist because of something that happened on the road.And while most drivers will experience road rage in some form or another in their driving history, in most cases, these incidents leave only verbal insults ringing in their ears.

But once in a while, you get that crazy driver that will launch a physical attack and then…all hell breaks loose. And that's exactly what happened during this incident, which according to one of our readers, took place in the U.S. Ottawa, Canada.

The owner of the green VW Jetta tries to open the door of the black Honda Civic only to discover that the driver had locked the doors. He then breaks the Civic's mirror and throws it on the window, at which point the other driver comes out and well, let's just say that he taught the Jetta driver a lesson or two on fighting.

But we left the best for last: once the wrestling/boxing match was over and just before they entered their cars, the two men shook hands as if no fighting had taken place! Oh yeah, it's a crazy, crazy world out there….

Flooded Road in Thailand Causes One Accident after the Other :(

Ask any experienced driver and he or she will tell you that one of the worst things that can happen to you on the road is aquaplaning or hydroplaning.

This occurs when water in front of your car's tires builds up faster than the tires can pump out through their grooves and most often results in losing traction and control of your vehicle.

We can't say for sure, but this seems to be culprit for a series of accidents that purportedly took place on a flooded highway in Thailand. The slippery road caused more accidents than we could count. You can watch the scary video right after the jump.

Nissan 300ZX Wannabe Drifter

While more of a GT than a genuine sports car, the 1990s Nissan 300ZX (sold under the Fairlady Z nameplate in Japan), can be pretty fun in the right hands, even more so if you hit a wet roundabout after rain.

But going slideways in these type of conditions can be hazardous not only for your health but for the…natural surroundings as well as the driver of this blacked out 300ZX quickly found out. You can check out the video after the jump.