RAC warns against poor ute safety
03 December 2010
The RAC has sent a warning to employers that they are putting their workers at risk by buying commercial vehicles with poor safety ratings.
The warning comes as the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) announced 3-star safety ratings for two cab chassis utes – the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series and the Nissan Patrol.
Crash testing showed both vehicles provided very disappointing protection for occupants and poor protection for pedestrians struck by the front of the vehicles. There was particularly severe deformation of the floor and footwell areas.
The RAC’s Head of Member Advocacy, Matt Brown, said commercial vehicle buyers should not be short changed on safety just because they’re driving a work vehicle.
“Many Australians spend their working days behind the wheel of light commercial vehicles,” Mr Brown said. “They have a right to be as safe as they can be in their workplace.”
In the centre front seating position of both vehicles, there is a lap-only seat belt and no air bag, placing the centre occupant at a greatly increased risk of severe injury compared with those protected by a lap/sash seat belt and an air bag.
The safety of these vehicles is of particular concern in Western Australia, where a disproportionately high number of these vehicles are sold due to demand from the mining industry.
There has been a significant increase in the sale of Toyota Landcruiser pick-up and cab chassis (PU/CC) vehicles in WA this year. In October 2010, sales in WA were up 57.8 per cent compared to October 2009. For the YTD, sales to the end October 2010 were up 59.8 per cent.
The Toyota and Nissan are the most recent in a series of utes to receive poor crash test results.
In October, ANCAP released the safety rating for the Ssangyong Actyon twin cab ute, which also scored 3 stars. In 2009, the Great Wall twin cab utes received a 2-star rating and the Proton Jumbuck just 1 star.
The RAC recommends an ANCAP safety rating of at least 4 stars and preferably 5 stars for commercial vehicles. There are already several 4 and 5 star commercial vehicles on the market. For a full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, including more commercial and work vehicles, go to
www.ancap.com.auDownload the release (pdf)