Quarter of cars unsafe: VACC
July 15, 2009 by David Twomey
The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC), the peak automotive industry body in Victoria, has revealed one-in-four vehicles, in the state, are unsafe.
Of the vehicles tested so far this year by participating VACC repairers, 24.81 per cent failed one or more of the five key safety features of a motor vehicle (tyres, lights, brakes, steering and restraints).
Of the 2189 vehicles surveyed in the first six months of 2009, 1661 passed and 528 failed VACC’s Five Point Safety Check, with 25 percent of the vehicles tested having unsafe tyres.
“These figures are concerning,” VACC Executive Director, David Purchase, said.
“VACC believes not enough focus is put on the importance of vehicle safety. We hear a lot about road safety, but not enough about vehicle safety. We have to do more to encourage motorists to keep their motor vehicle safe.
“Everyone has a duty to ensure that the vehicle he or she is driving is safe. Governments, employers, families and individuals need to appreciate that every time a Victorian gets into a car, they are at risk.
“A simple Five Point Safety Check will reduce that risk. Tyres, lights, brakes, steering and restraints are the key things that need to be tested.
“With winter weather set in and children back to school, now is the time to make sure the vehicle you are driving is safe,” Mr Purchase said.
“For people who believe they are saving money by not getting their car serviced, they should think again. A properly maintained vehicle can save you money in the long run, as an efficient performing engine saves fuel and wear-and-tear.
“We will continue to monitor the figures and hope that when we release the year-end results, there will be evidence that vehicle safety is being taken more seriously,” Mr Purchase said.
Print it: 
!*****PRIMO!*****
<With a average fleet age of 10+years [a record for the developed world] not only are our cars un-RWC condition but also missing out on the latest safety features.
Time for our GovCo to be like the rest of the world and supply a buyer bonus to trade these clunckers in.
NO to been taken to the wreckers so they can keep another cluncker on the road, they MUST be crushed!
Cheers
F-0
As long as owners of unsafe cars, keep under the speed limit, they are very unlikely to get the attention of the Victorian Police – now or ever.
The money just isn’t there to be made in booking unsafe cars.
Dan
Daniel, you could not be more right!!!
Where was the head of Victoria Police when this report was released to the media? I mean the same man who, on Monday, had his face spread across every paper, TV station, and magazine sprouting about speed cameras… The answer is that Vic.Pol. don’t care about unroadworthy death traps.. It’s just easier to install a machine to snap drivers driving 2km/hr over the limit than it is for a copper to spend time and visually check a car.
To do that they would have to get out from behind their desks in Public Relations and Public Policing departments and actually get out onto the streets.. We all know that ain’t gonna happen!!!
Sadly Daniel there in lies the truth… Not enough dollars and then you get the bleading hearts saying that the less well to do cant afford to maintain the up keep of their cars, what with the price of Cigarettes, beer and two all beef patties etc and if you took their car off them they wouldn’t be able to get to work/dole office or the kids to school.
Also it is very hard for cameras to decide which car is un roadworthy and seeing as all new police recruits are known as Constable Nikon or Fujica……
Tomorrow we’ll see in the news:
“Victoria police raided the VACC offices for corruption allegations and misleading the victorian Public”
The police commissioner in a brief statement reminds all drivers that you don’t need brakes, lights etc as long as you don’t speed”.
What about modern car designs that drivers cant see out of or need a camera to see while reversing aren’t they unsafe.
Phill,
Glad you have brought that up, I used to own some compleatly buggered early 70’s Volvos before buying a new car. I still use the cars from the 70’s as a bench mark for visability, I have chosen my modern purchaces with visability in mind, yet all the cars I looked at have had poor rear visability. Either high boots or massive “C “pillars. Why???
I long for the good old cars that you could sit in and see all four corners from the drivers seat. Just goes to show how out of touch I am with fashion eh?
Chysler C300 did impress me, but in the cheap end of the market the offerings seem to be designed by people unfamiliar with the concept of children, pets and other unfashionable clutter.
The first pic shows two Audi’s ( A4 i think), i dont know how they are unsafe.