Factors associated with old car crashes

Abstract

A recent examination of the crashworthiness of vehicles in South Australia revealed that the preponderance of fatal or injury crashes in South Australia were observed to involve young drivers in old cars. It has been proposed that the tendency for younger drivers to drive older vehicles is simply due to the financial costs of buying a car, as such it is likely that the prohibitive costs of buying a new vehicle are likely an issue for other low-income groups. Evidence further indicates that drivers from low SES backgrounds also have an increased crash risk. The aim of the present study is to obtain a better understanding of crashes involving old cars and to identify drivers for whom these crashes are an issue. Using TARS data from 19,648 serious injury or fatal crashes occurring during the period 2001-2009 this study found some evidence that young drivers and drivers from low or middle socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to be involved in a crash involving an older vehicle. There is some evidence that older vehicles carry inherent crash risks. The implications of these findings with regard to vehicle safety technologies are discussed.