For the first time ever, road safety advocates have turned the focus of staying safe on our roads from the responsibilities of drivers to actual cars, and it’s raising some interesting questions about the real costs of updating your car.

We often get caught up associating the costs of car ownership purely with money. From insurance to fuel, registration to parking, mechanical costs and the expense of buying a car in the first place, it’s easy to look at your car purely in terms of dollar signs.

But with 1,116 deaths [1] occurring on Australian roads in 2021, it’s clear that the costs can be far bigger than just money.

Road safety advocates are contunually looking for new ways to try and change Australian driving habits and make Australian roads safer. The latest research in their mission is pointing toward the age of your car as a major culprit in the fatality of drivers involved in road accidents.

In a 2018 advertisement created by Australian not-for-profit crash-test authority, ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program), two Toyota Corollas of varying ages are crashed head on to highlight the safety implications of owning either car.

The footage taken of the test clearly highlights that the driver of the older model Toyota, manufactured in 1998, would almost certainly not survive the head on crash performed at 64km/h.

Interestingly, the second car used in the test wasn’t brand new. Buying a brand-new car is unattainable and impractical for many Australians, particularly in our capital cities where public transport, biking, car sharing and even walking are far more convenient transport options.

A used 2015 model Toyota Corolla was chosen as the second car to participate in the road-safety test as the popular car is a regular fixture in the used car market. The driver of this car has a significantly higher chance of surviving the collision sending the message that even updating your car to a newer model used vehicle in place of buying a brand-new car can still have a significant impact in reducing road fatalities.

In completing the test crash, ANCAP has successfully dispelled the myth that older cars are stronger and built to drive longer than newer models. Unfortunately, the average age of registered vehicles in Australia, according to a 2021 Motor Vehicle Census, was still 10.6 years [3].

Of course, we understand that it’s not practical to update your car every few years which is why we’ve made carsharing an affordable and easily accessible option. The average age of GoGet cars is under 3 years and importantly, they’re regularly serviced and properly maintained to ensure they’re always driving safely.

So, if like us you find the costs of driving an older car versus a newer model too steep, why not consider ditching your old bomb in favour of a modern transport option such as car sharing? It might just save your life.

References:

[1] and [2] BITRE, Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development

[3] Motor Vehicle Census Australia, 31 Jan 2021, Australian Bureau of Statistics