The RACQ has a hit list of what it believes are the deadliest second-hand cars on the market. The motoring body has released its annual ‘best and worst’ used cars report. More than one hundred failed the safety test.

Laura Fell reports.

TRANSCRIPT

The RACQ wants parents to look at the latest safety ratings when choosing a first car for their children.

Their report analyses data from more than eight million crashes across Australia and New Zealand giving each car a safety rating from 1 to 5 stars.

Steve Spalding, RACQ Head of Technical and Safety Policy: “The ratings look at injury to the driver and also injury and also injury or harm to other road users because some cars can be very dangerous when they have a crash.”

Among the safest cars were newer models of Audi, BMW, and Volkswagen with models more than ten, and up to 20 years old considered the most deadly.

Steve Spalding, RACQ Head of Technical and Safety Policy: “The unfortunate reality is that if you are in a one star vehicle you have a higher risk at death or serious injury.”

Unfortunately the lower rated cars were often the cheaper, smaller vehicles young drivers typically buy.

Olivia Mcleish, Learner Driver: “When I was first looking at my car I was more concerned with what it was costing then what kind of car it was, but then when talking to Dad I became more concerned with the star rating.”

Bruce Mcleish, Father of learner driver: “Yeah safety is definitely before budget, um, safety is a priority you can’t put a price on safety.”

The RACQ says first-time buyers can still pick up an affordable safe car as long as they steer clear of the worst rated models on this year’s list.

Laura Fell, QUT News.