Journoz: Updates for Australian Journalists

Could have told them so

You can't see past them, they guzzle gas, their bullbars are ridiculous in a city environment and they are killing people at more than double the rate of ordinary cars. What are they? Four-wheel drive vehicles. Don't take my word for it - the Parliamentary Library says so in Research Note 27: Road Safety and 4WDs. According to the research: "Almost ninety per cent of children killed in NSW driveways in 1998 were run over by 4WDs or large commercial vehicles". How come? You can't see past them for a start. Though people often buy 4WDs for safety, the research shows that "a higher proportion of 4WDs was involved in fatal rollover crashes compared to normal passenger cars (35 per cent and 13 per cent respectively)." It goes on to note that: "In using a 4WD, instead of a normal car, one's chance of death or serious injury falls by 4 in 1000. But the chance of killing or injuring others rises by 11 in 1000, with a resulting cost to the community." The note is in HTML at http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2003-04/04rn27.htm and in PDF at http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rn/2003-04/04rn27.pdf. Wouldn't drive one myself - did I mention that I really hate not being able to see past them on the roads? Time to downsize, folks. Posted by belinda at March 10, 2004 11:47 AM

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