18 September 2008
MPs URGED TO CONSIDER VEHICLE SAFETY WHEN
RESPONDING TO BRACKS REPORT
Australia’s Federal parliamentarians have been urged to consider vehicle safety in
responding to the Bracks automotive industry inquiry.
Australia’s leading vehicle safety advocate, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program
(ANCAP), has written to all Federal MPs asking them to take into account the recent
Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into vehicle safety when discussing policy options from the
Bracks Review of the Australian Automotive Industry.
ANCAP Chair Lauchlan McIntosh said there needed to be a heightened focus on vehicle
safety from Australia’s policy makers in light of the significant government funds provided to
the Australian automotive industry.
“Australian new car buyers should be entitled to world-class vehicle safety performance in
return for any government funding,” Mr McIntosh said.
“ANCAP believes there is a very strong and plausible case to require manufacturers in
Australia to ensure the highest standards of vehicle safety, to reduce unnecessary road
trauma, particularly due to the high levels of government support provided to the industry.”
Around five people die every day on Australian roads, with a further 80 hospitalised as a
result of crashes. The national road safety strategy suggests that some 350 lives a year
could be saved through the development of safer vehicles.
Mr McIntosh said this is where these two most recent important reports come into play.
“The Bracks report has recognised the importance of uniform Australian Design Rules
(ADRs) for Australian
cars but consistent also with its international obligations. ANCAP
supports this Bracks recommendation.
“The Victorian Parliamentary Road Safety Report extends and expands this
recommendation in an important way and makes a range of further recommendations that, if
implemented, will make a substantial contribution to reducing road trauma in Australia.”
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The Victorian Report made a number of findings and recommendations including:
Australia is lagging behind Japan, Europe and the USA in the fitment of safety
systems in its vehicles. (Vic Report p viii)
ADRs do not cover leading technology and in some cases prevent the
adoption of technology. Technology moves too fast for the ADRs. (Vic Report
p 17)
An ADR compliant vehicle equates to an ANCAP 1.3-star vehicle (Vic Report p
xii). In an ANCAP 1-star vehicle you are about 50% more likely to be killed or
suffer serious injury compared to a ANCAP 5-star vehicle.
The ADRs may result in lower vehicle safety standards than those in New
Zealand. (Vic Report p 23)
ANCAP has had a greater effect in raising vehicle safety standards than ADRs.
Vic Report p 32)
ADRs should be about performance, not about minimum standards (Vic
Report p 21).
UNECE regulations should be adopted over the ADRs. (Vic Report p 20)
ANCAP is best placed to include emerging technologies in its testing
protocols and vehicle safety ratings. (Vic Report p 27, 43-48)
ANCAP needs more funding in order to meet the challenges of emerging
technologies. (Vic Report p 183)
ANCAP Stars on Cars™ should be supported. (Vic Report p 167)
Government Fleet vehicles should be a minimum ANCAP 5-star rating. (Vic
Report p 178/179)
Mr McIntosh said the Federal Government has overall responsibility for road safety and in
particular vehicle safety regulations through the Australian Design Regulations which set the
levels of safety, and ANCAP is calling on all Federal MPs to take simple but positive steps
to encourage adoption of life-saving technologies and features.
“ANCAP testing is the most suitable publicly available and independent performance test
and we remain ready to work with governments, the automotive industry and importantly
motorists to encourage safer cars into the market,” he said.
ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, all Australian state
governments, the New Zealand government, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission,
the Insurance Australia Group and the FIA Foundation. For a full list of ANCAP’s vehicle
safety ratings, including more commercial vehicles, and other vehicle safety information, go
Contact:
Lauchlan McIntosh
ANCAP Chair
0418 424 886
Allan Yates
ANCAP
0421 150 229
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