The safe vehicle related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours and type of vehicles driven by these drivers were sampled using an online survey which was completed by 619 drivers.
The research found:
- Drivers were mostly responsible for the purchase of their own car and had some knowledge of safe vehicles.
- 63% of the cars owned by 17-25 year old metropolitan drivers were rated 1-3 Stars compared with 61% for same aged rural/remote drivers and 70.5% for 26+ year old rural/remote drivers.
- Analysis of the drivers’ attitudes indicated that financial issues and not safety have the highest priority in the selection of a vehicle. Drivers consequently endorsed initiatives to provide financial incentives to purchase safe vehicles; and
- Drivers were also somewhat wary and cautious of the injury reduction claims associated with the use of safe vehicles and were not in favour of technologies that took control away from them as the driver.
The report provides specific information and insight into how safe vehicles are accessed by vulnerable drivers and the potential barriers/limits to this. the research also sets out a recommended approach to promoting the purchasing of safe vehicles by vulnerable groups.
Road safety benefit:
The research was beneficial to Government to the extent that a framework to promote the use of safe vehicles was developed.
