No vehicle with less than a three-star safety rating should be allowed to be imported to New Zealand, says the Automobile Association.

The change is one of 10 road safety improvements that the AA is campaigning for as part of its Election Calls.

The AA is calling for the Government to make the following three changes in the area of vehicle safety:

• New imports must have at least a four-star crash rating under the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme (ANCAP) or equivalent testing
• New imports must have Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Used imports must have at least a three-star crash rating or meet suitable safety standards

These changes would steadily get more drivers into vehicles that provide superior protection in a crash and help reduce the numbers of people killed and injured on our roads. The benefits of setting high safety standards for new vehicles will be magnified over time, as most will become used vehicles in the future and subsequently lift standards in that area.

Having ‘safer vehicles’ is one of the major areas of focus in New Zealand’s Safer Journeys Road Safety Strategy and it is time to make a decisive stand on minimum safety standards, says AA Motoring Affairs General Manager Mike Noon.

“The average age of a car in New Zealand is 13 years old. That means a huge proportion of the cars on our roads don’t have modern safety features that can help prevent crashes from happening and reduce the consequences if they do.

“We need to increase the amount of our vehicles that have features like Electronic Stability Control, multiple air bags and anti-lock brakes and these changes would speed up this process.

“On average about 150,000 new and used imports have entered our fleet annually in recent years and we should be ensuring these vehicles are as safe as possible.

“The Ministry of Transport is predicting there will be an increase in the number of people replacing their vehicles over the next five years so this is the perfect time to ensure we take a leap forward in vehicle safety.”

Consumers have an important part to play in improving vehicle safety standards as well. When searching for car to buy, motorists should check safety ratings for new and used vehicles through the AA website or at www.rightcar.govt.nz and www.ancap.com.au.

No matter what price range a buyer is looking in, some of the cars they look at will be safer than others and motorists need to make it one of their key considerations before purchasing.

“The message we want people to understand is all cars are not created equal for safety,” says Mr Noon.

“Just like different makes and models have different fuel-economy, reliability and performance, some cars will protect you better in a crash.

“Buying a five-star car instead of a two-star car could potentially save you and your family’s lives and it does not have to come with any compromise in a vehicle’s looks, comfort or a higher price tag.”

For more information contact:

Mike Noon
General Manager: Motoring Affairs
New Zealand Automobile Association
T. (04) 931 9984
M. 021 659 704
Email:  mnoon@aa.co.nz

The New Zealand Automobile Association is an incorporated society with over one million members. It represents the interests of road users who collectively pay over $2 billion in taxes each year through fuels excise, road user charges and GST.