Safety

Vehicle Safety

Australian New Car Assesment Program (ANCAP)

Crashing cars to save lives …

The Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) provides consumers with consistent information on the occupant protection level of new vehicles in serious front and side crashes.

Broadly supported by all Australian automobile clubs, the Federal Office of Road Safety and State Government road and transport authorities in all states except Victoria and Tasmania, the program provides accurate data through a series of closely monitored and controlled collisions. This data is then used to calculate an overall rating for each vehicle model, considering deformation of the vehicle's structure and injury measurements to the head, neck, chest and upper and lower legs.

All evaluated vehicles are subjected to three individual tests, offset frontal, side impact and pedestrian impact, with an optional pole test at the manufacturers request and expense.

• The offset frontal crash test into a fixed barrier is conducted at a speed of 64km/h. In this test the forces of the collision are concentrated on the drivers side of the vehicle. 40 per cent of the width of the car initially makes contact with a fixed barrier which is fitted with a crushable aluminium face to simulate impact with another vehicle.
• The side impact crash test consists of running a 950kg trolley into the drivers door at a speed of 50km/h. The trolley is also fitted with a crushable aluminium face to more accurately simulate the frontal area of another vehicle.
• The pedestrian impact test is used to estimate the injuries a pedestrian might receive if struck by the vehicle at a speed of 40km/h.
• The pole test is an optional extra test, available at the vehicle manufacturer's expense and only if the vehicle performs very well in the standard side impact test. In this test the vehicle impacts a steel pole of 254mm diameter, lined up with the drivers door, at 29km/h, sideways

The Monash University Accident Research Centre has found that the results gathered from ANCAP testing methods correlate very well with the outcomes of serious "real life" crashes.

This indicates that the ratings given to each vehicle model by ANCAP are a good indication of how well that particular vehicle will protect the occupants in the event of a serious collision.

Comparisons should only be made between vehicles of the same weight class, as the occupants of heavier vehicles in real-world two-vehicle crashes typically fare better then the occupants in lighter vehicles. Vehicle weight offers no measurable safety advantages in most single vehicle crashes, although it should be noted, that the fitment of a driver's airbag reduces the risks of life threatening head injuries by half.

ANCAP publications detailing results of the vehicle tests are available from the NRMA and Roads and Traffic Authority offices. Further information can also be found at the ANCAP crash tests website.

Spare Wheel Theft

Thieves, equipped with electronic instruments to gain access to some vehicles fitted with remote operating door and boot locks, can steal the spare wheels from the boots of unattended vehicles.

Of greatest concern is that the method of entry leaves no evidence or damage and it is possible for a driver to be unaware that the spare wheel is missing from the vehicle. This doesn't become an issue until the spare wheel is required, leaving the driver and the vehicle stranded on the roadside.

It is recommended that the spare tyre be checked for both presence and pressure at regular intervals. This applies to all makes and models but even more so to those that are fitted with remote operating door and boot locks.