New entry-level vehicle safety report released

1st December 2017

By: Irma Venter

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

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The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) has released its second yearly Entry-Level Vehicle Safety Report.

The report considers the safety features of 25 vehicles available in South Africa, priced under R160 000. This is R10 000 (6.7%) more than the vehicles considered last year to account for inflation.

The 25 vehicles were evaluated against the number of active safety features they have (antilock braking systems and electronic stability control), and passive safety features (airbags). The vehicles were then categorised into three groups based on their safety ratings according to the AA survey.

Of the vehicles assessed, only two are categorised as having acceptable safety levels. Thirteen of the vehicles are categorised as having moderate safety, and ten are classified as having poor safety.

The AA says the survey is the result of desktop research, and assessed safety features only. It did not consider the structural integrity of the driver and passenger compartment.

In addition to scoring the vehicles purely on safety features, the report also considered safety weighed against affordability. In this scenario, the score achieved by a vehicle for its safety features was measured against its cost to arrive at a safety/affordability score.
Considering this, only one car achieves an acceptable safety/affordability score, says the AA, while ten are rated as poor on the scale.

Fourteen of the vehicles are rated as moderate on the safety/affordability scale.

“Safety features on vehicles are critical elements which can provide much-needed protection in the event of a crash, says the AA.

“What we’d like to see is that all car manufacturers include more safety features in their vehicles.”

The AA says the purpose of the research into the entry-level market is to highlight the importance of safety features in new cars, understand how these features can save lives and encourage new car buyers to consider safety in their decisions, and not only price.”

The association says this is especially important, as many of the people who buy or drive entry-level vehicles are often those with the least driving experience.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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