A NEW STUDY by insurer AAMI shows that most passenger car drivers see four-wheel-drives as a danger on city roads, with 77 percent saying the larger vehicles represent a greater risk for other road users.
More than three quarters of respondents said 4WDs do not belong on city roads, while two-thirds of passenger car drivers believe 4WD owners should be hit with higher registration fees.
Some 67 percent of passenger car drivers said they feel intimidated driving next to four-wheel-drives.
In contrast, only 21 percent of 4WD owners see the larger vehicles as being of any greater danger on the road than regular passenger vehicles, while only 19 percent agreed that 4WDs represent an increased risk to other motorists.
AAMI Corporate Affairs Manager Mike Sopinski said the figures show an alarming divide between the two groups on the rights and obligations of owners of the two vehicle types.
“On every measure, AAMI’s research showed stark contrasts between passenger car and 4WD drivers about road entitlements and obligations,” Mr Sopinski said.
“It is of concern that road users hold such strong views about their fellow motorists and this may spill over into driving behaviour. We therefore urge drivers of all vehicle types to come to a better understanding of their common rights and obligations.”
Despite commonly-held beliefs that 4WDs are involved in more crashes than passenger cars, an analysis of AAMI insurance claims over the past 12 months shows that four-wheel-driver owners claimed for fewer crashes than standard car drivers.
Nationally, passenger car drivers insured with AAMI had a crash claims rate over the past 12 months of 17.82 percent, compared with 16.13 for 4WD owners.
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The suggestion of banning 4WD’s in the city is stupid.
They are not the only large vehicles on the road, and not all of them are large anyway!
With the current downsizing trend, soon any vehicle larger than a mini will be threatening to these whingeing drivers!
the reduction of trucks on our roads will be a step in the right direction
I think it’s funny that such a large percentage of urban road users feel ‘intimidated’ by 4×4’s and want them banned.
Chances are, it’s their phone, drinking, or lack of driving skills combined with our crappy, third world roads that’s going to get them killed.
^^ took the words right outta my mouth mate..
articles like this get me through the working day.. always good for a laugh
It’s the HOONS that needs to be off our roads. Accidents will be greatly reduced if people drive in a responsible manner no matter what vehicles they drive.
AGAIN!
Not sure what happened their?
Anyway, the STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM worked a treat! in the top photo!
Cheers,
F-0
I think some people are failing to realize is that a big reason why us “whingeing drivers” dislike 4WD’s in the city is of their overall height. Try turning left at at T-interection while you have a 4WD turning right, it’s a f#cking pain in the arse, and for no good reason.
Secondly is arrogont attitude of 4WD drivers. Just the other day I head a P plater say he’ll be alright to drive home in the 4WD after after a beer or two because it’s a “big and safe vehicle”. Yeah mate, like it is for the poor person you drive through.
Quote “Some 67 percent of passenger car drivers said they feel intimidated driving next to four-wheel-drives.” End Quote.
Not intimated, just worried.
When driving to work in the mornings, around school time I have noticed that most of these vehicles seem driverless. On closer inspection you can just spot the drivers head at about dash level.
I’m sorry Scick but you overheard one idiot P plater who happened to drive a 4WD and you then smear all 4WD owners with the brush of ‘arrogant’.
And are you suggesting that anything thats taller than your car should be banned from the road. That you should be the yardstick for the acceptable height of city cars? That if you don’t see a reason for someone owning a 4WD there isn’t one? I ride a motorbike, should I demand that all cars that are only carrying one person (which to and from work is the majority of people) be banned from the roads? Because they inconvenience me and make riding more dangerous. By your logic I should. But I don’t know the reasons why people around me drive the cars they do, so I’m not going to judge them for driving them. But I would say with fair confidence, they didn’t buy a 4WD just to p*ss you off.
“the reduction of trucks on our roads will be a step in the right direction”
Love this comment, trucks are there for a reason, or have you got some ultimate plan of how to transport everything and anything around?
this is typical “small drivers syndrome” psycology, doesnt it feel the same when youre driving beside a b double or a semi??
if youre not confident, DONT DRIVE!!! & save on the costs & embarrassment - take the bus
this is typical “small drivers syndrome” psycology,
I agree, there are too many small drivers in big 4WDs.
what can i say, i think 4×4’s are over rated and not built to the same safety standards as a regular road car. the more you see on the road, the more become aware they are nothing more than dangerous mobile blind spots
Wow, such ignorance.
There are more than a few 4WD’s with 4-star ANCAP ratings dave.
If 4WD’s are banned, what is next?
Vans, they are hard to see through. Yeah, lets get rid of them.
What about SUV’s, they are much like 4WD’s, just lack the low-range transfer case? Maybe they should go as well.
Then there are trucks and buses. If 4WD’s are intimidating then it must be hell sharing the roads with these monsters!!!
Which just leaves cars and bikes, and cars are no-doubt rather intimidating to your average bike rider. Maybe cars should be banned.
Hell, lets all walk!
Get over yourselves and understand that you share the roads with all types of people, who all have a right to drive the type of vehicle that suits their needs, provided it is roadworthy. It isn’t all about you!
Judging from the stats, it looks like 4WDers are better at avoiding accidents than regular car drivers anyway. Thats food for thought.
Looking at the posts to date.
The 4WD mob often refer to semis and B-Doubles basically infering if we go, they should also.
They don’t mention that said trucks are driven by professionals with very specific licence conditions.
There should be a specific licence for these “Semi Trucks”
On that logic Mick, anyone who tows a van or boat should have an articulated licence perhaps?
Any car weighing more than 1900kgs would require the “semi truck” licence as well? There are plenty of 4WD’s out there that weight under two tonne, so what separates them from a large car?
Seriously flawed logic there.
I cannot believe AAMI is wasting their precious time and dollars on this old beat up. Please get on your soap box on the seemingly growing number of spectacular, fatal, mindnumbingly wasteful and traumatic hoon crashes that we see based on inexperienced drivers in overpowered 2WD vehicles. AAMI then ask me if i’d vote for annual roadworthy checks, vastly higher competency levels in licence tests and a complete rethink of our approach to lane discipline on multi lane roads. The anarchy on our freeways is just a laughing stock and AAMI should be more than vocal on behalf of their policy holders.
re Charlie. have you seen thoes things running around the country on steel rails ? They are called trains and would move a lot more freight than trucks and our roads would last longer
Easy to pick the 4WD’ers here - the arrogance and aggro shines through like a beacon. Much like what the article and other road users complain about.
A ban is impractical but Paul Keating was right as PM when he urged state governments to tax them off the road. $1000 for rego plus hefty insurance premiums would quickly convince mums that a Mazda, Volvo or Toyota is far more sensible for driving the kids to school. It would also help convince a lot of guys to downsize - the ones who use a b-i-g 4WD as a compensatory mechanism for something else, I suspect.
@PM Paul - Paul Keating, now there is a beacon of shining light for us all to follow.
Which Mazda, Volvo or Toyota? The CX-7, CX-9, BT-50, XC90, Landcruiser, Prado, Kluger or perhaps the HiLux (currently one of Australias best selling cars)?
Wow, thats funny PM Paul, when I read all the posts made so far its the arrogance of the car drivers that stand out. I’m not even a 4WD owner and I’m sticking up for them, just because they are showing how faulty your logic is, doesn’t mean they are being arrogant. That you keep thinking its a compensation tool just reveals your own feelings of inadequacy, because I don’t know a 4WD owner who seriously thinks their car makes them any more masculine or powerful.
Fact, over half of Toyota’s sales for July 09 were 4WD’s/commercials. So Toyota is probably not the example I would use.
auto, yes, because all businesses have railway tracks direct to their door. And I’m sure filling cities with railway crossings is a much better solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.
This week I’ve had three cars try and merge on top of me when riding, a corolla, an old magna and a captiva. What do all these vehicles have in common? Nothing, other than they are all driven by dopey drivers not paying attention to whats around them. Its not the vehicle, its the driver. IT happens, if you aren’t confident enough to share the road with other road users, then perhaps you shouldn’t be driving.
I think the issue is when people think “4WD” they think of the soccer mums that drive 4WDs because their driving is so bad they need all that metal around them to feel safe. Yes the same ones that can barely see over the wheel.
As someone else said, I don’t feel intimidated, just worried that the driver isn’t paying attention, the same feeling when I see a Paris Hilton lookalike driving while talking on their mobile. I’d like to know they are going to stay in their lane, stop at the stop sign, etc
The problem with large 4wd’s is that is you have an accident with another car, the safety systems in each car will hopefully save you. If you have an accident with a 4WD, your chance of surviving are greatly reduced. If it hits you in the side, then you are likely to be decapitated. Whether you like it or not, 4WD’s ARE more dangerous to other road users and are more likely to cause serious injury or death than cars. I dont get why people feeel the need to go out and buy a truck (which is what they are) when they only have the need of a wagon. I know some people need the towing capacity or go bush but they are the 1% of 4wd owners, the other 99% have them for anything other than logical reasons.
There’s a negative stereotype to every kind of driver, it just depends on where you fall in and how highly people rank you on their danger zone.
Personally, I find it’s people that are on the road a lot (such as it being part of their job) that tend to be the most dangerous drivers. That only worsens when it translates to them driving their own vehicles in their hyped-up “performance” utes and the like.
Tom, no where in my comment did I suggest that any vehicles should be banned. Many large vehicles actually have legitimate uses (trucks, vans, and 4WDs that are actually take offroad). Unfortunately that probably doesn’t include the majority of 4WD and SUV drivers.
Back in the 70s I owned a Toyota Landcruiser FJ40 short wheelbase troop carrier.
Great offroad, rubbish onroad.
Now if they went back to making 4WDs purely for OFFROAD.
HEY PROBLEM SOLVED.
It’ll never happen of course.
Gotta keep these wannabes happy.