Safer Drivers in Safer Vehicles on Safer Roads

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Safer Drivers in Safer Vehicles on Safer Roads
Lauchlan McIntosh, Executive DirectorAustralian
Automobile Association
SAE-A Road Safety Conference Melbourne 15
September 2004
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Outline

• Road safety problem
• What is SaferRoads?
• Community attitudes
• Aspects of SaferRoads
• Vehicle safety

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Road Safety Problem

• Every 24 hrs
• 4,800 Australians are involved in a road crash
• 550 are injured
• 5 are killed
• 41million per day
• Its time to act!

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A National Partnership

• AAA (all motoring clubs)
• Australian Local Government Association
  (representing 700 local governments)
• Australian Trucking Association (representing the
  transport industry)
• Australasian College of Road Safety
• Plus, nearly 20 other supporter organisations

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Community Attitudes

• Looking at what is important to motorists

"my car, my space, my need to be somewhere
quickly"
Source AAA National Survey of Motorists
Attitudes and Priorities, 2003
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Community Attitudes

• Personal concern about road safety is on the way
  down

This is contrary to actual road safety
performance between 1995-2003
Source AAA National Survey of Motorists
Attitudes and Priorities, 2003
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Community Attitudes
How many people killed on Australian roads in
2003?
The road toll is vastly under-estimated. The
median estimate is only 500, while the correct
answer is 1628.
14 were unable to give an estimate
Source AAA SaferRoads National Survey, 2004
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Community Attitudes
What causes road accidents?
Other mentions Young drivers (7). Driving
conditions (7). Mobile phone use (7)
Source AAA SaferRoads National Survey, 2004
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What is a safe road?
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Community Attitudes
What has made you drive differently?
Other influences More traffic (3). TV
advertising (3). Family or friend involved in
accident (3) .
Source AAA SaferRoads National Survey, 2004
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Aspects of SaferRoads

• National project
• Safer drivers in safer vehicles on safer roads
• Partnership
• Road users
• Vehicle manufacturers and importers
• Governments
• Business

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ANCAP

• Part of the safer vehicles approach
• Significant improvements in vehicle safety
• Many cars getting 4 or 5 stars
• More to be done
• head protection in side impacts
• active safety

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ANCAP Side Impacts

• Currently use MDB side impact test
• Limitations
• Does not address head protection
• Not a relevant test for 4WDs
• ANCAP considering options
• 4WD pole test series underway
• Work with industry and govt to develop new test
  and rating protocols

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Active Safety

• Important area to assess
• US NCAP report on safety features
• EuroNCAP long term project
• Vehicle dynamics
• Visibility and lighting
• Ergonomics and driver systems
• ANCAP will report safety features
• ABS, EBD, VSC, DRL

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ANCAP is making a difference
What helps to make a car safe in a crash?
Safety features. Airbags. Seat belts.
Accident prevention features. ABS brakes. Good
tyres. Road handling. Roadworthy. .
Big increase
Strong body. Sturdiness. Made of strong material.
Bigger car safer.
Big decrease
Impact absorption. Crumple zone.
Make, design
Reinforcing bars
Source AAA SaferRoads National Survey, 2004
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Car Crashworthiness
Cars on Australian Roads

• Those more likely to perceive that cars have
  become safer are the upper socio-economic groups,
  those driving newer cars and men, particularly
  those aged under 55.

Are more dangerous 17
Are safer63
Hasnt been much change 15
Source AAA SaferRoads National Survey, 2004
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Summary

• SaferRoads initiative
• Broad based bring together partners and
  programs
• Encourage broad community support for road safety
• Safer drivers in safer vehicles on safer roads

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