JOINT MEDIA RELEASE: Crash testing cars to save lives

Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, Catherine King MP viewed first hand how the Gillard Government and the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) are working together to save lives on Australia’s roads.

Today ANCAP conducted a 64 km/h frontal offset crash test, which simulates two cars hitting each other head on, to gauge the likely injuries to vehicle occupants and determine an ANCAP safety rating.

Ms King said "the Gillard Government is concerned for the safety of all road users and our aim is to make vehicles as safe as possible. One of the ways to better inform consumers about vehicle safety is by putting the vehicles through a crash test."

"I encourage individuals to make safety a key consideration in their vehicle purchasing decision," Ms King said.

Chairman of ANCAP, Mr Lauchlan McIntosh AM said "the Australian Government has been an active supporter of ANCAP, contributing to our test program since 2010. This has allowed ANCAP to test more cars and provide consumers with an informed choice on which cars are the safest."

"Safety should be the first consideration when hitting the road not only during the busy Christmas and New Year holiday period, but every time we get in the car.

For those who are hitting the dealerships before hitting the road, I urge you to look for a car which has been awarded the maximum 5 star ANCAP safety rating," Mr McIntosh said.

"1,277 Australians were lost on our roads in 2011. This is an indescribable loss for the victims’ families and friends, especially as we start to think about spending time with our loved ones over Christmas" Ms King said.

I urge every person travelling on our roads over the festive period to be extra careful and to make sure you arrive at your destination safely, as this is a special time for all of us” Ms King said.

In 2011 the Gillard Government strengthened its fleet purchasing guidelines to require all new passenger vehicles to have a five star ANCAP safety rating.

The Australian Government has provided $5 million in funding to ANCAP for the period of 2009-10 to 2013-14 to boost ANCAP’s crash test program.