Old versus new: why older cars are over-represented in crashes

Australia’s peak crash safety organisation has renewed calls for teens and elderly drivers to consider the safety of their vehicles following a telling demonstration between two cars.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) recently conducted a head-on collision between two cars differing 20 years in age: a 1998 Toyota Corolla hatchback against the current iteration with a five-star safety rating.

The result is dramatic to say the least. The old Corolla suffered what ANCAP described as a “catastrophic structural failure” in the 64km/h collision, sustaining damage that would likely have killed the driver.

In a clear demonstration of modern construction and safety measures, the modern equivalent fared much better.

The test comes amid research which shows older vehicles (built pre-2000) now represented one-third of fatal crashes – despite representing only one in every five cars on the road.

“It is unfortunate we tend to see our most at-risk drivers – the young and inexperienced, as well as the elderly and more frail – in the most at-risk vehicles, and we hope this test promotes a conversation to encourage all motorists to consider the safety of their car,” ANCAP chief executive James Goodwin said.

“Safety is not a luxury and we want everyone to remain safe on the road, so consumers should look for the safest car they can afford and the safest car that suits their needs.”

Data reveals the average age of all vehicles on Australian roads is now 9.8 years. This compares with 12.9 years for the average age of vehicles involved in fatal crashes.