Motor cars

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.

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There are a number of considerations when you decide to trade in your old vehicle. However, possibly the biggest one is whether to invest in a second hand vehicle or a brand new one.

If you don’t have enough capital to afford a new car, then choosing a used car is your option.

To assist in this process, the NSW government has announced the release of the latest used car safety guide. The aim of the guide is to provide buyers with sufficient advice to make good decisions about an older vehicle. There are some misconceptions about second hand cars, but careful investigation should point you in the right direction.

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Road users in regional and rural NSW understand the frustrations and inadequacies of country roads.

The latest example of NSW Government’s Fixing Country Roads program was completed when Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay and Member for Dubbo Troy Grant this week opened the upgraded intersections on Derribong Street in Narromine.

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has begun proceedings in the Federal Court against Coles, Woolworths, BP, Caltex, 7-Eleven and fuel price information service ‘Informed Sources’.

ACCC’s initial investigations focus on the Melbourne fuel market, but could set a precedent across the country in the coming months. It is alleged the fuel price information (updated in 15 minute intervals) supplied to Informed Sources is being used by rival retailers to spike costs.

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When you decide to purchase a new vehicle, there are a number of considerations to take into account. This includes making sure you have appropriate comprehensive insurance and that you have undertaken a ctp greenslip comparison. Have you thought about safety ratings?

A vehicle is an investment in you and your family’s safety so you should be going out of your way to analyse and compare safety features. If you are looking into buying a new vehicle today, you extremely fortunate that technology advances with every new model.

To take some of the guess work out of purchasing a safe new car, you can investigate findings of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). For over 20 years, the crash test authority has tested over 400 new vehicles to see how they shape up in a head-on accident.

ANCAP awards vehicles a star rating based on their performance with many cars achieving the maximum five stars. The authority has recently announced its latest round of safety ratings with three models receiving the coveted accolade.

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Animal strikes can happen at any time on NSW roads. From an accident with a dog or cat in a residential area  to a collision with a cow or kangaroo in rural and regional parts of the state.

It is important to remember that any incident involving an animal could have serious consequences for the wildlife itself, but also the wellbeing of the motorist. Depending on the vehicle’s speed, there could also be significant damage to the vehicle as well.

NRMA insurance has found NSW has more than double the amount of animal collisions than any other state. The insurance provider revealed animal strikes were up 12 per cent on 2012, with the animal most likely to be hit being a kangaroo.

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Shopping is often hampered by congested car parks, frayed tempers and countless examples of poor driver behaviour.

Recently released data from the Royal Automobile Association (RAA) revealed how prevalent car park accidents are becoming in Australia. Of all motor insurance claims that the RAA dealt with in 2013, 13 per cent were the result of car park damage.

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When purchasing a new car, choosing a safe vehicle for you and your family is very important.  On NSW roads, 180 people have lost their lives this year. This is a 5 per cent increase on the number of fatalities at this stage last year.

To assist in the process, Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has been crash testing vehicles since 1993. In that time, more than 400 vehicles have been tested with a select few achieving the coveted five star safety rating.

ANCAP made its latest announcement on July 14, adding two vehicles to its prestigious list, while another model fell just short of the mark.

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Changes to the way heavy vehicles are loaded will benefit the trucking industry throughout Australia, according to the National Transport Commission (NTC).

National regulations around the matter have recently undergone a significant reform. Adherence to safe loading laws are essential to promote road safety principles for heavy vehicles, but the previous rules were out of date and created unnecessary difficulties for those in the transport industry.

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