Car buyers are being urged to prioritize safety as new data reveals that more than two-thirds of drivers and passengers killed on roads in Victoria, Australia, last year were in a vehicle manufactured more than 10 years ago.<\/p>\n
According to the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), this is in part due to safety features such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), electronic stability control (ESC), and side curtain airbags\u00a0not being as common on older cars.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur message to anyone buying a car \u2013 new or used \u2013 is to buy the safest car you can,\u201d said TAC Lead Director Road Safety Samantha Cockfield. \u201cWe know older vehicles are less likely to have some of these safety technologies, meaning they pose a higher risk of being involved in a crash and provide less protection for drivers and passengers.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are around 4.6 million registered vehicles in Victoria and almost two million of those were built more than 10 years ago \u2013 more than 42 percent.<\/p>\n
\u201cSafety doesn\u2019t mean buying a new luxury car, there are plenty of safe options out there that suit all budgets,\u201d added Ms Cockfield.<\/p>\n
View the TAC video below for tips on buying a used vehicle:<\/p>\n