Road Toll To Fall Dramatically By 2020 Thanks To 5-Star Cars: ANCAP

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) predicts Australia’s road toll will be cut by one-third by 2020 due solely to improvements in vehicle safety.

Currently, the Program says around 40 percent of the kilometres travelled by Australians each year are done in cars rated at the maximum 5 stars for safety.

By 2020, ANCAP predicts this figure will rise to 70 percent, resulting in a one-third reduction in Australia’s road toll compared to 2001 when no 5-star cars were travelling Australia’s roads. 

ANCAP presented its research at the 24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV) in Sweden, saying the economic benefits of a one-third cut to the road toll would total around AU$2 billion per year. 

"As a result of safer cars, the risk of being killed or seriously injured on Australia's roads today is halved compared to 15 years ago," ANCAP CEO, Nicholas Clarke, said.

"ANCAP has been instrumental in increasing car safety and this will only improve as ANCAP continues to raise the bar through increasing requirements."