How safe is your used car?

AdobeStock_211347352.jpeg

The Used Car Safety Ratings 2021 has been published. Along with the NSW Government, we are reminding all road users that their choice of vehicle can make a huge impact.

In Queanbeyan-Palerang over 40% of the cars on our roads are more than 10 years old and the ANCAP safety rating of these vehicles is less relevant than for a new car.

ANCAP safety ratings score the performance of a new car in staged crashes with test dummies in the car.

The Used Car Safety Ratings use real crash statistics from more than 8 million police-reported road incidents to create a comprehensive score showing how well these older vehicles can protect you.

“The Used Car Safety Ratings can make a big difference when a buyer has a set budget. Two used vehicles can be very similarly priced and have quite different safety ratings. This can mean all the difference if involved in a crash,” said Joanne Wilson Ridley, Council’s Road Safety Officer.

Used cars are categorised by model and age group and are then given a star rating for their crashworthiness with 1 star being poor and 5 stars being called the ‘Safer Pick’.

This year’s report provides statistics for nearly 300 models and accounts for the vehicle’s real-world crash performance history and safety features.

You can read the report here to find out how your car holds up, or if you are looking at buying a second-hand vehicle it’s a great tool to make sure you are getting the safest car for your money.

/Public Release. View in full here.