Motorists have a number of important considerations to make when purchasing a new vehicle, including comprehensive and CTP insurance. One of the most important considerations however, is price
The results of a recent study by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has found Australians are in a much better position than some of our global counterparts.
After a sluggish beginning to 2014, new car sales have been steady for the majority of the year. This has lead some experts to suggest that Australia is going to hit the 1.1 million figure for the third year in a row.
This would be quite an achievement for the automotive industry, given the difficult market conditions and waning consumer confidence.
The NSW government has announced a new safety campaign dubbed ‘Ride to Live’.
Over the past ten years, overall NSW road fatalities have decreased by 35 per cent. However, over the same period, motorbike rider deaths have increased 22 per cent. In fact, based on Transport for NSW data, 54 motorbike riders have been killed on NSW roads so far this year.
There are a number of considerations when you are thinking about which new vehicle to purchase, including comprehensive and CTP insurance.
There is one aspect that needs special consideration – safety. After spending some time looking at makes and models, the vehicle you choose should be safe for your family and protect you in the event of an accident..
Fortunately, the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) crash tests new vehicles regularly to give consumers an idea of the level of safety and performance in a worst-case scenario.
In September and October, ANCAP awarded a number of five-star safety ratings to new vehicles as an indication that they meet the high standards for Australian motorists.
Here is a wrap up of ANCAP’s findings:
Drive down any suburban Australian road on a summer day and you will see countless children playing and on the driveway of their home. However, this is one place that can cause danger without warning and an area the NSW government is targeting in its latest safety campaign.
Announced recently, the state government is working alongside the Georgina Josephine Foundation to spread the word on driveway safety and how to curb the increasing accident rate.
The base of the campaign revolves around a video that highlights basic measures such as driveway access, visibility and ensuring garages are fitted with child locks. The video is available from the foundation’s workshops and website as well as on the Centre for Road Safety webpage.
It sure would be convenient if every country drove on the same side of the road. This would surely make it easier for tourists and stop them driving on the wrong side of the road. But is it safer driving on left?
However, it’s a fact that some countries drive on the left (74 countries) while others drive on the right (166 countries). Australia is among the minority of countries that drive on the left. The question then is whether driving on the left or right really makes a difference from a safety standpoint.
The Australian car market is very competitive. Apart from the driver’s licenses, CTP insurance and registration, selecting a vehicle to suit your requirements is easier said than done.
However, this process is about to get a lot simpler with the announcement of this year’s finalists for Australia’s Best Cars Awards. Across 15 categories, 45 finalists have been whittled down from a mammoth 220 contenders.
Australians are known for our laid back demeanour and appetite for adventure. With a country as vast and varied – from spectacular desert settings to sub-tropical rainforests, there is plenty to see and do in just a day.
However, according to a recent Roy Morgan survey, most of us don’t even have a day to spend enjoying the great outdoors and undertake a good old-fashioned Aussie road trip anymore.
With job commitments increasing and children immersed in laptops and tablets, it is becoming rarer to see a family pack the car and head out for a day of adventure.
Based on the results of close to 17,000 respondents, just 36.9 per cent of Australians aged 14+ had taken a day trip by car in the year to June 2014. This was down from 41.1 per cent in June 2010.
The thought of a computer operating your car while you sit back sounds like something you would read about in a science fiction novel. However, driverless cars are already being experimented with in Japan and could very well replace human drivers within the next decade or two. The notion of driverless cars sounds appealing; a computer, after all, is not prone to human negligence or making potentially fatal errors in judgment, such as getting behind the wheel intoxicated or texting while on the road.
For the most part, driverless vehicles represent a step in the right direction, both in terms of technology and reducing road accidents, which ultimately translates to saving lives. This also renders car insurance obsolete, which has some in the industry worrying.