Sighting differences in vehicle safety
RACV visibility survey rates Citroen Picasso and Volkswagen Golf as clear leaders, though neither scored top marksThe Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) has tested 183 current vehicles spanning nine popular genres for driver's seat visibility. The study considered 180-degree vision, using laser measuring equipment positioned at the driver's eye line to replicate exactly a driver's field of vision.
Scores were calculated by assessing the position of the A pillars (those that support the windscreen) and how much each pillar blocked the laser's vision. Not surprisingly the results support what many motoring journalists have suspected for some time, that the majority of cars rate poorly in this discipline, more than 21 per cent of all vehicles examined scoring one star out of five.
The RACV surmised that its star ratings were drawn against a standalone scale where one star represented a field of vision obstructed by thick A pillars, a high door line and narrow windscreen, and five stars offered a clear and unimpeded view of the road ahead.
The tally saw 40 vehicles score one star, 116 two stars and 25 vehicles three. Only two vehicles, the Citroen C4 Picasso and Volkswagen Golf hatch scored four stars. Not one vehicle entered managed top results.
A pillar visibility becomes particularly important when negotiating intersections and roundabouts, and in some cases could completely obscure road signs or traffic signals, or worse still pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists or even other cars.
Among the 40 one star rated vehicles were a number of popular sellers, including the entire VE Holden Commodore and WM Statesman range, Honda Accord sedan, Toyota Prius hatch, and Kia Grand Carnival MPV. The FG Ford Falcon, Toyota Aurion and Camry range, as well as the vast majority of late model SUV and commercial vehicles were awarded a two star result.
The RACV said it hopes the survey results will assist car manufacturers in creating models that more effectively combine the attributes of vehicle safety, ergonomics and visibility. It also urged drivers to be prudent in their interaction with a car's outward vision, saying drivers should be prepared to move their head to look around them when necessary.
For the full results of the RACV survey, click on this link.
Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site
Tags
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
