Three-quarters of Aussies think other drivers are the greatest threat to their safety on the roads

The JAX Tyres & Auto 2022 Road Safety Report surveyed 1,009 Australian residents and quizzed them on all things driver behaviour, attitudes and key vehicle maintenance practices.

The findings saw that safety was a key concern among all drivers, with almost three-quarters of Australians (73%) saying that safety is the most important thing to them when driving. Conversely, the same amount stated that other drivers were the greatest threat to their safety on the roads.

While 4% said that their own driving ability is the biggest factor affecting their personal safety on Australian roads.

The majority of people surveyed (54%) said that say they place the most importance on their own safety when driving, with the person in the passenger seat second. Only 11% said that they were concerned with the safety of other drivers.

When it came to the day-to-day driving experiences of Australians and the risks of accidents, 60% said that they have to brake sharply or unexpectedly at least once a week. Almost one in five said they have to break sharply twice a week, 9% three times, and a further 9% said they break sharply five times or more every week!

Despite this heavy reliance on their car's brakes and tyres, fewer than a third of drivers said that they actually check their tyre pressure and tread on a monthly basis, with 7% never checking their tyres at all.

Although many people surveyed stated that safety was a key part of their reason for purchasing a particular car, many drivers appeared to lose interest in vehicle safety and maintenance, with 21% saying they don’t perform any basic checks between scheduled services, and almost the same number (19%) saying they don’t perform any checks before embarking on a long road trip.

Looking at Road Safety among drivers in 2022, JAX also investigated how attitudes and behaviours differ between drivers of different kinds of vehicles and generations.

Ute drivers appeared to be the most concerned with safety when driving, with 71% saying they consider their concern for safety to be “above average” compared to other drivers, with compact car drivers the lowest demographic to feel this way (41%). Just 69% of Gen Z drivers say they feel most safe while driving, compared to 93% of people aged 65+, with confidence increasingly consistently the older the drivers gets.

When it comes to the day-to-day driving experience, Gen Z admitted to braking sharply and unexpectedly more frequently, with 26% saying they do this at least twice a week (compared to the national average of 18%) with almost one in ten Gen Z drivers saying they break sharply five times a week. Despite the higher proportion of younger drivers admitting to more regular sharp braking, only 63% of Gen Z drivers think other drivers are the greatest threat to their safety, compared to 83% of 55-64 year-olds.

Safety concerns differ considerably between the sexes too, with 78% of women saying safety is the most important thing to them when driving, compared to just 68% of men. Men are more optimistic about the impact of technology on driving too, with 28% believing the roads will be more safe when self-driving cars arrive, compared to just 16% of women.

Dave Reynolds, Grove Racing Supercars driver and JAX Tyres & Auto ambassador, says that safety on the roads has to be top of mind for us all.

“Having grown up in a country town, I learnt the importance of preparing for a long trip, and the consequences when you don’t. Getting your vehicle checked and serviced regularly is a simple thing all drivers can do for peace of mind. The other thing is to make sure you’re well-rested and avoid rushing. Leave early and enjoy the drive!”

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