Tasmanians urged to put safety features first
Published | 9 May 2024
As National Road Safety Week continues, RACT and the ANCAP Safety are calling on Tasmanians to prioritise safety features when buying a car.
The advice responds to the alarming statistic that approximately 300 Tasmanians are killed or seriously injured on the state’s roads each year.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Mark Mugnaioni said the average vehicle age in Tasmania was 13 years, so finding a car with effective safety features is crucial.
“Leather seats or a premium sound system won't protect you in a crash, but features like airbags and electronic stability control could be the difference between life and death,” Mr Mugnaioni said.
“We’re encouraging all Tasmanians to purchase the safest car they can afford. Both new and used cars can meet safety needs without breaking the bank, as long as buyers know what to look for.”
Since 1993, ANCAP SAFETY has crash-tested and published safety ratings for thousands of cars to help consumers understand which models provide the best protection in a crash and the best collision avoidance features.
ANCAP Chief Executive Officer, Carla Hoorweg said the organisation's safety rating system awards vehicles a rating of between zero and five stars based on their safety performance.
“ANCAP has tested more than a thousand vehicles over the past 30 years and that information is readily available to help inform consumer choices,” Ms Hoorweg said.
“There has never been more choice for consumers when it comes to vehicle safety, with most new vehicles sold in Australia achieving a five-star ANCAP rating.”
“Newer five-star rated vehicles will offer much better levels of physical crash protection, and will likely be fitted with technologies to avoid a crash happening.”
“The decisions you make when purchasing a car can have a significant impact if you’re involved in a crash.”
RACT and ANCAP recommend the following safety features:
Active safety features: like Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Lane Support Systems and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) can assist the driver, or can automatically apply the brakes in emergencies.
Airbags: Airbags can keep you and your passengers safe. Vehicles should have airbags for both the driver and passengers, including side curtain airbags for the first and second row.
Features to protect others: Reversing cameras, blind spot monitoring, and pedestrian AEB can help avoid a collision or reducing the severity of injury to pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.
As part of the week's activities, RACT is committed to enhancing road safety awareness in partnership with ANCAP and other road safety bodies to reduce road trauma.
Our used car safety checklist can be found here. For new cars, the ANCAP safety ratings for new vehicles can be found on ANCAP’s website.