Motor cars

Two thirds of Australians live in metro areas yet two thirds of deaths occur on remote and rural roads. In fact, the fatality rate per 100,000 people in country areas is nearly four times higher than in the city. So why is the cost of compulsory third party (CTP) insurance for city drivers 31% higher than for rural drivers? Read More

Do we worry about petrol prices? The most popular vehicles in Australia are powerful and thirsty, which suggests reducing fuel is not a factor. Meanwhile, a 2017 study says the price of petrol still is the most popular reason why we choose a service station, but it’s certainly not the only one. Read More

Did you know, during 2017, the rate of road deaths in Australia was the lowest for at least five years? But NSW was different. It was the highest road toll since 2010. A total of 392 people died compared to the high of 405 in 2010, 12 more than in 2016. Worse, the holiday road toll more than doubled from last year.

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If you believe the experts, nobody will want to own a car in the near future. They seem to think people are rational and will always choose the cheapest and most efficient option. But they don’t recognise how much we relish the personal freedom that owning a car brings. Read More

Sales of new cars are at record levels in Australia even though wages growth is low. It seems we still want new cars, no matter what. In fact, Australians just love their cars: we’re even in the global top ten for car ownership. Read More

The NSW government spent $300 million on road safety in the 2017 budget. Sadly, 392 people died in 2017, which was 12 more than in 2016. The road toll has increased each year since 2014 after decades of steady decline. In three years there were 20% more fatal car crashes and 85% more deaths in light trucks. Read More

If you’re going on a road trip with your children, chances are they’ll be on their phones or tablets. Some parents say car trips are a good opportunity to talk to their kids because it’s a small space and there’s no eye contact. But it appears family holidays today are more about watching screens than talking. Read More

Did you know we have as many pets in Australia today – 24 million – as there are people? In fact, 62% of households have a pet, compared to 65% in the US and only 40% in the UK. Some 38% of pet owners have dogs and 29% have cats. This means, any day on the road, someone has a beloved pet in the back of their car or sitting on the tray of their ute. Read More

It’s easy to see the appeal of motorcycles – they are cheaper than cars, practical, fuel-efficient and, for many riders, a thrilling experience. Over the past 10 years, 5% more Australians each year have registered motorcycles. Riding in this country has also become less life threatening. Read More