What is ANCAP and how does it work?

They say it’s wrong to judge a book by its cover, but there’s another cliché that should ring true: don’t judge a car by the number of airbags.
Almost all new cars on sale in Australia today have airbags but, despite these worthwhile safety features, crash protection varies markedly from model to model.
Of course, all cars must meet a minimum crash safety standard set by the Federal Government, but the emphasis there is the word “minimum”. The regulations regarding crash protection have not been revised in more than a decade.
This is part of the reason the [...]

Driving and Mobile Phones – New Victorian State Regulations

As with most countries, the holding and use of a mobile phone whilst driving has been banned in Australia for a number of years, with 3 License demit points and a fine for those caught doing so.
However, it is still an every day occurrence and common sight on Australian roads today.  VicRoads, the Victorian Road Authority, reports that you are 4 times likely to be involved in an accident when using a mobile phone and a staggering 23 times more likely if texting.
The Victorian Government has decided to get tough on this issue and has introduced Australia’s most [...]

Keeping Kids safe in Cars – New Regulations in Australia

Australia’s states and territories have finally got their act together and established a National set of rules to govern children and how we secure them in cars.
The introduction of these new rules does vary. In Victoria they come into effect from November 9th 2009, Tasmania introduces them in December 2009 whilst the other states and territories will follow in 2010.
In a nutshell the following will apply:

Under 6 months – Children must be seated in an approved and properly fitted rear facing child capsule
6 Months to 4 Years – Children must wear an approved and [...]

They don’t build ’em like they used to… A Guide to Old Car Safety

They don’t build ’em like they used to. That’s how old cars are generally described. Tough as nails, made of steel. New cars just fall apart in a crash, so the saying goes.
But contrary to perception, there is a very good reason new cars deform more readily in a crash: it can save your life.
Consider this: when an old car has a front end crash, the structure won’t be crushed as much as a modern car’s would, which means the occupants experience a more sudden rate of deceleration, and potentially more life threatening injuries.
The front end of [...]