Young people more at risk from small/light used cars
25 July 2007
The RAC is urging car buyers, especially young people and their parents, to consider safety when purchasing a second-hand vehicle by checking its Used Car Safety Rating (UCSR).
Data analysed by Monash University Accident Research Centre, from more than 2.8 million vehicles involved in crashes between 1987 and 2005*, revealed that small and light cars were the worst performers.
"The ratings suggest that you are 26 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in the worst rated car than in the best rated car," said RAC Executive Manager Member Advocacy David Moir.
Although many of the worst performing vehicles were pre-1990 models, light cars remain particularly problematic with around two thirds of them among the lowest ratings.
Mr Moir said that young people looking to buy their first car were most at risk because they made up a significant part of buyers in the small or light used car markets.
"Second hand small and light cars are normally cheaper to buy and cheaper to run than medium or larger cars so they appeal to that age group. However, they don't always offer you an adequate level of safety.
"Not all small and light cars perform badly - there are significant variations in protection in each vehicle class. This makes it vital that you check the UCSR results for the vehicle model you want to buy because the car you choose can make a big difference to your protection in a crash," said Mr Moir.
The UCSR results highlight the dramatic advances in vehicle safety in recent years. The recent ANCAP crash tests showed most current small and light cars performed strongly.
Most of the other vehicles that rated above average for occupant protection were in the medium and large classes, including the locally made large cars.
Many recent model European mid-size vehicles also received above average ratings. This suggests European cars are leading the way in safety design and specification of safety features.
* Accidents that were reported to police in Australia and New Zealand
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