Victorians looking to buy a car are being urged to prioritise safety with the release of new used car safety ratings from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).
In a statement, the Commission said it partnered with the Department of Transport, Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) and the Royal Auto Club of Victoria on the annual Used Car Safety Ratings (UCSR).
“The new ratings make it simple to find the safest used car within a range of budgets,” the TAC said.
“The ratings provide the latest used vehicle safety information to help people in the market make an informed choice while putting safety first,” it said.
“Research from MUARC shows that a driver in the lowest scoring vehicle is eight times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in the same crash than a driver in the safest vehicle.”
The TAC said the safety ratings were determined through the analysis of more than 8.8 million vehicles involved in police-reported road crashes across Australia and New Zealand.
The Commission said 289 vehicle models were analysed this year and given a star rating out of five based on driver protection, the likelihood of serious injuries to other road users and the risk of being involved in a crash.
“Key safety features people should look for are: Auto-emergency braking (AEB); blind spot monitoring; electronic stability control (ESC); front, side, curtain and knee airbags; lane departure warning or lane keep assist and reversing sensors and/or cameras,” it said.
The TAC said some of the best-performing vehicles included in this year’s UCSR were Subaru Impreza/XV (2012-2016); Subaru Liberty/Legacy/Outback/Exgia (2009-2014); Ford Kuga (2013-2016); Hyundai Santa Fe (2012-2018); Mitsubishi Outlander (2006-2012); and Volvo XC90 (2003-2015).
The TAC’s latest car safety ratings can be accessed on its How Safe is Your Car? website at this PS News link.
