The Summer holidays have arrived and that means many of us will be doing a lot of driving. It’s also a good time to introduce some lightheartedness. Did you know many people, especially Baby Boomers, like to name their cars? We also tend to choose colours that link to our age and gender. Remember also, cars get hot in Summer so here are some tips for keeping cool. Read More
If we were not influenced by car ads, the industry would not pay for them. It’s the fourth largest spender in Australia on TV advertising ($341.5 million in 2016). However, some ads walk a fine line between promoting an exciting car and encouraging speeding or reckless driving. This is where the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) steps in. Read More
Australian drivers are distracted while driving for nearly half the time, in fact, roughly every minute and a half. Only 5% of us do nothing except concentrate on the road ahead. While researchers are shocked by these results, there is a paradox going on here. Road safety authorities are worried about distraction, but governments and businesses are finding more ways to distract us. Read More
Everyone tells you what might happen if you leave your keys in the car and walk away. Someone says they always do it and nothing ever happens. But Budget Direct claims 18% of car thefts happen when keys are left in the ignition. Meanwhile, the Australian Road Rules take a clear position on leaving your keys in the car – don’t do it. Read More
Earlier this year Citroen started selling the first car in Australia already fitted with a dash cam. It may be a sign of things to come. In case of an accident, a dash cam can prove more easily what happened and who was responsible. But so far, owners of dash cams cannot get cheaper compulsory third party or other vehicle insurance. Read More
Driverless cars are going to free us up. No more tedious driving tasks. But what does it really mean to give up control? We don’t know. In fact, we could be giving up our autonomy in more ways than one. Read More
Some drivers don’t like sharing the roads with cyclists. Some cyclists feel the same about sharing the roads with motorists. It seems there’s a war going on between them, which makes the roads more dangerous for everyone. Read More
In the old days people used to joke about backseat drivers telling them how to drive. Now the joke’s on us as the vehicle itself starts taking over. Even so, while these autonomous technologies may give drivers a sense of security, they still aren’t reliable enough to use without a driver. This will raise the new problem of just who is driving. Read More
Road congestion is not only annoying but expensive, costing $16.5 billion in 2015 and forecast to nearly double by 2030. Some say autonomous vehicles (AVs) will help reduce congestion. But evidence suggests they could also make it worse. Without careful planning, we may even look forward to more congestion. Read More
Next time you turn on the car ignition, ask yourself how many thousands of times you have driven it and not crashed. Nearly all drivers get home safely nearly all the time. So it’s outrageous to claim autonomous vehicles will be better drivers than humans. Read More