Aussie Study Names and Shames "Death Traps"
Automotive safety has improved by leaps and bounds over the years. The Herald Sun reports on the not unexpected corollary: comparing like-to-like, new cars are vastly safer than their antecedents. According to a study of 2.8m real world crashes by Melbourne-based Monash University, larger locally-made cars (e.g. Fords and Holdens) are less safe than smaller European cars, which still "lead the way in safety features." The report lists five vehicles to "avoid in the used car lot:" Mitsubishi Cordia (1983 – 1987); Ford Falcon XE/XF (1982-1988); Mitsubishi Starwagon/L300 (1983-1986);Toyota Tarago (1983-1989); and the Toyota Hiace/Liteace (1982-1995). Interestingly, the official list also scores "How seriously your vehicle is likely to harm another road user."
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Driving skills are being able to avoid an accident or turn a fatal accident into a survivable one. A large majority of drivers don't have those skills because they were never taught them. Most drivers are a deer in headlights waiting for Death to scoop them out of their drivers seat. I'm talking about here in the US, I don't know about other countries.
Oh god, Toronto. I will take my hat off and concur with that. As our population has become more, um, cosmopolitan, many of the newcomers have brought in driving traits more closely associated with third-world driving conditions. The rise of mobile media (cell phones, in-car iPods, etc.) only exacerbates poor driving habits.
OH yea ! Toronto I invite our American friends to run the the 401 Oakville to Oshawa.Say around mid day between rush hours. Call it semi pro racing with semi competant drivers.