A Call for Safer Vehicles for All

The MTA has submitted its response to the SA Draft Road Safety Strategy, explaining that relying on the sale of new vehicles alone will not be enough to achieve the government’s ambitious targets.

The Association has presented a case to the Government that vehicle inspections at change of ownership must be considered to meet the Strategy’s goals to:

• reduce fatalities by 50% and serious injuries by 30% by 2031.

• zero lives lost on South Australian roads by 2050.

“Our key message is that every South Australian deserves the safest car they can afford,” said Kaes Cillessen, the MTA’s Industry and Government Engagement Manager.

“2020 and 2021 models with an ANCAP five-star rating cost between $28,000 and $55,000 and with current lending rates for new vehicles would result in $800 to $1,600 per month in repayments

“Not everyone can afford a new cars.

“We have close to 1.5 million vehicles on SA roads and with only 70,000 new cars being sold each year, what is happening to make sure that all vehicles on our roads are safe?”

The MTA has argued that inspections at change of ownership should be introduced and this needs to be included in the SA Road Safety Strategy.

“We are miles behind the rest of the country in terms of vehicle inspections,” said Kaes.

“A lot of states are regulating the cost of this at well under $100.”

The MTA also challenged the misrepresentation of research from the University of Adelaide’s Centre For Automotive Safety Research, CASR.

The Strategy includes a single statement from CASR to paint vehicle inspections in a negative light.

However, the reality is that CASR’s report did not make actually determination one way or the other about whether vehicle inspections are effective or not.

On the other hand, the MTA has researched this aspect in considerable depth, which revealed:

• The New Zealand Ministry of Transport reported that vehicle factors contributed to 11% of fatal crashes in 2019.

• A Spanish study showed that their inspection results in saving 133 fatalities, 12,000 injuries and nearly 18,000 traffic accidents a year.

• Research in Texas found considerable evidence supporting the link between safety and vehicle inspections.

• Victoria reviewed its change of ownership model. It stated the benefits of ensuring a car has got good tyres and brakes is important for stopping distance, which can be the difference between a serious injury and fatality, or serious injury and no injury at all.

This is the second submission the MTA has made to the Strategy. It is hoped that the Association’s evidence and recommendations will be included in the final document.

“From our perspective as the peak industry body representing the automotive retail service and repair industry, we are obviously very focused on vehicle safety,” said Kaes.

“Historically, advancements in vehicle technologies have helped reduce the road toll. These include seatbelts, airbags, stability control, and now moving towards, Advanced Driver Assist technologies.

“Changing driver behaviour – such as not drink driving, not using your phone, always wearing a seatbelt – is also important and the MTA will continue to support these road safety messages.

“But we were concerned that the strategy does not take vehicle safety seriously enough.