What kinds of vehicles get in the most accidents?

In this article, we'll take a look at some of the main factors that contribute to car crashes, including the type of vehicle (make and model) colour, speed, and age. All of these contributing factors will help you effectively gauge the safety of the car you have bought, or want to buy.

Sheen Panel Service is dedicated to keeping you on the road in safety. If you've been involved in an accident, you can contact us for smash repairs, allowing you to get your vehicle back to pre-accident condition.

Type vehicle

No matter how many safety features a car has, it still has the potential to get into accidents. Size, blindspots, acceleration, and manoeuvrability can all influence how accident-prone your vehicle is. Here are some of the most dangerous types of cars on Australian roads:

• Heavy trucks are overrepresented in crash data. Their weight makes them considerably more difficult to manoeuvre. It's estimated that 10% of all road crash fatalities in 2018 involved heavy trucks.
• Motorcycles are also incredibly dangerous, but largely for their operators. Accidents involving motorcycles account for 17% of total fatalities on our roads.
• SUVs and 4WDs offer more safety features than smaller cars. However, due to their size, these vehicles can pose a greater danger to others while parking or reversing in driveways.
• Of the smaller cars on our roads, hatchbacks are safer than sedans, according to howsafeisyourcar.com.au. This may be attributed to the length of the vehicle and blindspots present.

Colour

Saying that a car's colour influences car accidents might seem about as ridiculous as saying that flame decals will make it go faster. However, visibility plays a huge part in keeping families safe on the road.

• Darker colours like brown, grey, and black are involved in the most crashes on our roads. They are difficult to identify in the rain or at night, and are 47% more likely to be involved in an accident.
• If you want to stay safe, choose a brightly coloured car, like yellow, orange, gold, or pink. Avoid colours that are common in outdoor settings, or on the road, including blue, green, and red.

No matter what colour car you have, our team at Sheen will be able to colour match the paint if it is chipped or scratched in an accident.

Speed

The speed of a vehicle has a direct correlation with how prevalent it appears in crash data. Choosing a car that matches your driving style may save your life.

• Fast cars, like the Subaru WRX, receive the most speeding tickets on roads around the world. There's a strong correlation between speed and accidents.
• Slower vehicles, or vehicles with low acceleration aren't much better at avoiding or manoeuvring out of danger. Slow speed crashes can still cause debilitating injuries like whiplash. Look for a vehicle with Low Speed Auto Emergency Braking to prevent this.

Age

Used cars are considerably more dangerous than new cars. While cars, on the whole, are getting safer year after year, there are still plenty of older models involved in accidents on our roads.

• Older cars have fewer safety features — like lane assist, auto emergency braking, and rear cross detection — meaning that they lead to more injuries and fatalities than newer models.
• The low cost of used cars often appeals to young drivers buying their first car. The higher prevalence of young, inexperience drivers on our roads can contribute to more crashes. This is compounded by the presence of older, more dangerous vehicles.

Playing it safe on the road

We've talked a lot about what makes a car unsafe. But what about the vehicles with high safety ratings? If you're looking for a new vehicle that is full of safety features, Canstar has compiled a list of the best in Australia. These new cars have reached the highest possible ANCAP safety rating:

• Audi A1, November 2019 onwards (all variants)
• Toyota Granvia, October 2019 onwards (all variants)
• Audi Q3, October 2019 onwards (all variants except RS Q3 and Sportback)
• Ssangyong Korando, October 2019 onwards (all variants)
• BMW 3 Series, March 2019 onwards (2.0L variants)

Keeping people protected is important. When you're buying a car for yourself, for family transportation, or as a first car for your child, be sure to choose one that is safe. Consider the type of vehicle, as well as its colour, age, and speed. All of these things contribute to the safety of the driver, and other drivers on the road.

As safe as modern vehicles are, it's important to note that accidents are a part of life. Fortunately, Sheen Panel Service can repair many types of vehicle to pre-accident condition.

[nearest_workshop][/nearest_workshop]