Safety

The latest safety assessment results released by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) have confirmed maximum five-star results for a trio of recent arrivals - the Kia Carnival, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Skoda Superb.

Most of Australia’s new cars are, generally, getting safer and safer.

Kia Australia is currently recalling 9534 examples of its Cerato and Seltos due to a potential engine defect that increases the risk of vehicle fire.These BD-generation Kia Cerato and SP2-generation Seltos vehicles were produced between 2020 and 2022. They are also fitted with the non-turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.“The piston rings fitted to the engines of certain vehicles may not meet manufacturing specifications, and could cause engine failure and vehicle stalling,” said the company in its recall notice.“A damaged engine may result in the vehicle stalling and/or engine oil leaking, increasing the risk of an accident or vehicle fire causing injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users.”9534 vehicles affectedVIN list is attached hereOriginal recall notice is attached hereOwners of an affected Kia Cerato or Seltos are being urged to content their preferred Kia dealer “immediately” to schedule an appointment to have the engine inspected and replaced if damaged, free of charge.An engine control unit (ECU) software update will also be applied during the inspection as an “additional data monitoring tool to detect early signs of engine failure”.For more information, call Kia Customer Service on 131 542.Ford Australia is also recalling 2039 examples of its Mustang sports car due to a manufacturing defect that may cause the fuel supply to become impaired.This recall affects Ford Mustang examples produced between 2021 and 2022.2039 vehicles affectedVIN list is attached hereOriginal recall notice is attached here"Due to a manufacturing defect, the fuel pump impeller may not operate as intended," said the company in its recall notice."If this occurs, it could impair the fuel supply to the engine and result in a loss of motive power whilst driving."If you own an affected vehicle, Ford Australia will contact you in writing, requesting you to contact an authorised Ford dealer to have the fix rectified, free of charge.For more information, you can contact any authorised Ford dealer or the Ford Customer Relationship Centre on 133 673.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program's (ANCAP) Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg said criticism of its testing protocols was expected given how competitive our new car market now is.Hoorweg added criticism of ANCAP was arguably not just due to established manufacturers having to stump up for increased costs or decreased star ratings, but also because an increasing amount of new five-star ANCAP scores were being achieved by newcomers to the market from China, which were already putting price pressure on rivals.New cars built in China now account for the most new five-star ratings since 2023, accounting for 32 per cent of all new five-star rated models. In comparison, cars sourced from Japan and Germany have shrunk to 19 and 18 per cent respectively.82 per cent of cars put to the test from Japan have a five star rating, while 94 per cent of cars sourced from Germany have a five-star rating. Cars sourced from China are holding an 86 per cent five-star rating from 2023.“It’s disappointing because we know those brands can deliver five star products, so we hope they’re trying to bring those vehicles in. It is a competitive market though, so obviously they’re going to try to change the playing field. is one way they try to do that."The safety authority has been accused of effectively stopping manufacturers from bringing in more affordable cars or versions of cars built in markets with lower safety requirements due to its ever increasing safety standards, which Hoorweg agreed was a source of frustration for manufactures.“It’s true, they wouldn’t be as safe,” she said. “We exist to say, 'you can bring that ASEAN version, but it’s not as safe and it’s not what consumers expect'.”One recent notable example affected by both a potentially low ANCAP score and an increase to Australia’s base new-car safety standards in the Australian Design rules, is Mitsubishi’s ASX successor. If it weren't for ANCAP safety standards the hybrid XForce small SUV sold in right-hand drive for Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia could have made it Down Under.Mitsubishi has been forced to import an ASX based on the Renault Captur from Europe, which will be much more expensive than the outgoing version. Mitsubishi cited high development costs to upgrade the XForce for ruling it out.Some new vehicles from Australia’s favourite brands, which have received less than five-stars in recent years, include the new Suzuki Swift that got one star due to poor crash performance. The Hyundai i30 sedan got three stars for the lack of advanced auto braking and blind spot monitoring as standard as well as poor vulnerable road user protection. The Mahindra Scorpio 4x4 and MG5 sedan that both scored zero stars for poor occupant protection and missing key active safety equipment.MG said it was able to bring its cars in at a lower price by not including all the required active safety equipment, while Mahindra argued its 4x4 comfortably met Australian Design Rules and was rated highly by the far more lenient Global NCAP, which focuses mainly on basic features and structural crash performance.MG brought a raft of upgrades to its MG5 a year after its 2023 launch, which resulted in a revised three-star rating.Hoorweg said some manufacturers would rather challenge the existence of ANCAP altogether, or criticise its messaging, as its increasingly harsh safety standards factor into these new model choices, but the reality is prices ultimately stabilise as companies package together various key technologies.“A lot of arguments get run, but there’s a lot of components which go into a vehicle and there’s a lot which goes into the cost of the car," said Hoorweg.“Safety is one element but what we see is the unit cost goes down, so when a new technology is coming through for the first time it has an expensive per unit cost but that decreases over time and things get bundled together so it decreases .“We’ve seen the real cost of a vehicle which factors in what you’re actually getting. The cost has stuck around $25,000 for a very long time, but what you’re actually getting is a lot more, so the real cost to the consumer has actually decreased. Manufacturers have actually done a great job of keeping those prices that low for a very long time, but we don’t want to see safety be the element that gets blamed for that ,” she said.Hoorweg noted calls to simply allow ratings to fall back to those from vehicle’s home countries or ratings out of Europe would result in some trying to take advantage of the lack of local standards.“There’s a huge opportunity to de-spec cars due to the differences between ADRs and European design rules,” she said.Hoorweg pointed to the Suzuki Swift as being a prime example of a car, which had alarming omissions in the specification delivered to Australia, that resulted in its one-star ANCAP score and three-star EuroNCAP score.Hoorweg added the language on five-star-or-nothing may have been softened a little, the body wouldn't back down on ratcheting standards up every few years, with a new framework starting in January 2026 focusing more heavily on driver assist systems and post-crash survivability."I think there’s enough consumer support and fleet support that there’s not much interest in dropping standards." she said.Even the Kia Tasman, which just received a five-star ANCAP rating was notable for the rating only applying to variants equipped with a unique bumper designed to maximise pedestrian safety. High-grade models likely to be popular with private buyers, like the top-spec off-road focused X-Pro are specifically excluded from the score.

Victoria is the worst and most expensive state to own a car in Australia, according to a new study released by insurance comparison firm iSelect.iSelect’s study ranked states by four metrics - the percentage of income spent on motoring, the amount of hours lost to traffic, the road quality ranked by the number of potholes per 100,000 people and the road fatality rate per 100,000 people.The study ranked Victoria in last position by some margin, with by far the highest percentage of income spent on motoring (26.28 per cent), the second highest amount of hours lost to traffic (84 hours per year), the third worst road quality (165.05 number of road damages reported per 100k people), however the fatality rate per 100k people was low at 4.01.iSelect gave Victoria an overall score of 2.91 out of 10.In comparison, the study showed the ACT was the best place to own a car in Australia. It had the second lowest amount of household income spent on motoring costs (21.97 per cent) and the second lowest amount of time spent in traffic (44 hours) with by far the highest quality road surfaces (with just 7.35 instances of damaged road reported per 100k people). It also had the lowest fatality rate per 100,000 people (just 2.31), netting it an overall rating of 8.84.The data revealed that Northern Territory ranked the worst for road safety with 22.69 fatalities per 100k people (more than three times higher than the next nearest state), and Queensland the worst for road quality with 211.92 instances of road damage reported per 100k people.For the best road traffic, the NT had by far the least amount of time spent bumper-to-bumper at 28 hours per year.Interestingly New South Wales ranked largely in the middle for everything, with a total score of 5.81 noted for its poor road quality and bad traffic, but relatively low percentage of income spent on motoring and a low fatality rate.iSelect used data from a variety of sources. The percentage of income spent on motoring costs came from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Auto Association, the hours spent in peak hour traffic was sourced from TomTom’s traffic index ranking, the mortality rate was sourced from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and The Arts, and road quality was sourced from Snap Send Solve.In addition to iSelect’s findings, police enforcement data provided to the department revealed you’re most likely to receive a speeding fine in Western Australia, with 4241 fines per 10,000 license holders.You’re most likely to receive a camera-based fine for using your mobile phone in New South Wales (348 fines per 10,000 license holders), and you’re most likely to fail a roadside drug test in South Australia, which recorded 488 positive tests per 10,000 license holders.

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg explained how the safety body doesn’t require many of the more frustrating elements of modern safety suites plaguing some new cars.Hoorweg said ANCAP doesn’t actually require beeping or overbearing assistive input for specific features like lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, or driver attention alert, which are all often derided as the source of annoying sounds or interventions.“It’s certainly something we take the opportunity to correct. It is something that is thrown up from time to time by a small number of people in the industry as a way of avoiding some of the difficult and complex decisions and R&D processes that manufacturers have to go through.”She said the specifics of Australian road conditions can mean some safety suites tuned overseas in Europe or China for example, may not as easily transfer across, despite them still technically qualifying the vehicle for a maximum five-star score under ANCAP’s current regime.“Some people might not realise that it isn’t actually a requirement, we’re not requiring this. When we’re talking to manufacturers and consumers a lot of what we’re talking about is ensuring these systems are well designed for Australian and New Zealand conditions - and they’ve done that real-world driving and R&D in-country and not just said ‘oh that works in the test lab, it’ll be fine’.”She added the new ratings system, which will be introduced from 2026, will have specific pillars the safety body will be able to use to target things like overbearing safety aids and the lack of tactile functions in cars going forward.“From 2026 there will be elements of that - driver distraction is a big focus - you’ve seen some of the comments around buttons vs touchscreens, whether that makes it into the 2026 standards remains to be seen, but that area as a focus area of the protocols is very live and there’s a lot of work going on around human machine interface and driver distraction," she said.“If it doesn’t come in 2026,  it will come at some point. We’ll be looking at systems which are more distracting than beneficial and we’ll be trying to move manufacturers more towards helpful systems.“If they’re not thinking about it already, they should be.“This is all about driver assistance systems rather than systems that are distracting or annoying or worse,” said Hoorweg.The new ‘Safe Driving’ category, which focuses on technology and the driving experience, will be targeting such systems. More research is needed to see the actual impact overbearing beeping and steering assists as well as frustrating touchscreen menus actually had on driver performance and the rates of actual crashes.“If we don’t see some improvement, these are the levers we have to pull.”“There is a lot of research going on at the moment to try and quantify that. Are we seeing crashes because people are distracted, or are people just annoyed by it and it’s not actually causing crashes. Is it turning up in the data and if it is in these scenarios how do we target that?”She said research in this area is conducted by working groups which provide academic studies and research papers to safety bodies around the world.“Globally it’s going on, but it’s also filtering up through the EuroNCAP and ANCAP working group.”“Manufacturers are involved in those working groups, so manufacturers will know where the protocols are going. The conversation now is about 2029 protocols - 2026 we need to finish those off, but the direction is there, so now it’s the work on 2029 - the manufacturers involved in that know where it’s going and what’s being looked at and the more concrete steps around kinds of controls.”She added that just because a safety system was annoying, doesn’t mean the safety body will target it, and it will only be regulated if it has a measurable impact on resulting collisions.ANCAP’s new safety regime debuting in January 2026 overhauls the system into a new set of pillars dubbed ‘the stages of safety’ which are said to be “a much more logical approach for the layperson.”The new categories are Safe Driving, Crash Avoidance, Crash Protection, and Post Crash, replacing Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist.The pillars give ANCAP a framework by which to score cars, and also a method by which to automatically deduct stars where some key elements of each pillar are not met.

A: The best way to wear a seatbelt while pregnant is to have the lap belt under your pregnancy bump, ensuring it is low and snug across your hips, and that the shoulder belt sits between your breasts and to the side of your bump, not across it.By maintaining the correct seatbelt position and checking it often during your trip.A recent study by Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) that involved 1491 pregnant participants showed that despite 99.1 per cent saying they always wore their seatbelts while driving, only 41.4 per cent were wearing their seatbelts in the correct position!The lap belt should sit under your pregnancy bump, across your hips and upper thighs, not your stomach. It should be snug but not tight.The shoulder belt should go between your breasts and off to the side of your belly, resting across your chest and shoulder - not your neck or arm. Check your states relevant rules on whether a sash guide is allowed.Never place the lap belt over your belly, and never tuck the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm.This positioning ensures you get the protection you need in a collision without risking injury to your unborn baby.Pregnancy seat belt Australia - Imaged sourced from MUARC website.Ah, pregnancy. One of the most glorious and beautiful periods of a woman’s life. It can also be filled with doubt, confusion and unease as you navigate the sheer onslaught of information available. The dos and don’ts, what to buy, what supplements to take, the cravings and the pee breaks during the night which make you feel like an 80-year-old man with a prostate issue.As your pregnancy progresses, your growing bump can make standard seatbelt placement feel tight, awkward or even painful. The pressure of the lap belt near your belly (and bladder) may cause discomfort and the shoulder belt near your bump or tender breasts might also cause anxiety, especially in the third trimester.Understanding how to wear a seatbelt when pregnant is essential for protecting yourself (and your baby) in a crash and staying comfortable behind the wheel. Transport NSW says that ‘the main cause of foetal deaths in car crashes is the death of the mother’. So, it’s crucial to buckle up.Image by jcomp on FreepikYes. In Australia, wearing a seatbelt is compulsory for all drivers and passengers, including during pregnancy. Failing to wear one can result in fines and demerit points. More importantly, it significantly increases the risk of injury or death in the event of a crash.Seatbelt safety pregnancy – always buckle up! Image by senivpetro on FreepikProducts marketed as pregnancy seat belt adjusters or pregnancy seatbelt adapters sit in a murky area. Technically they can be legal if they do not alter the function of the seatbelt itself, and what that means is they must not affect the seatbelt’s ability to restrain you in a crash.According to the Australian Design Rules (ADR), aftermarket devices must not compromise seatbelt safety. Some maternity belt accessories are fine if they simply guide the seatbelt into a better position (such as low across the hips), but others may not be compliant. While there are no significant differences in laws between Australian states, always check your local road authority if you're unsure.It’s also best to choose a product that has been crash-tested and clearly states it meets Australian standards.To be frank, it would be wise to approach pregnancy belts and adjustors with a degree of caution. Currently, there is only one Australian product on the market which has had any sort of crash-testing applied to it and which has been designed to comply with our ADRs and that’s the Tummy Shield (found here). However, at $899 a pop, it poses a significant investment for the average family.Sit upright and adjust the seat to keep your back straight and ensure the belt stays in the correct position.Take breaks on long drives - stop every hour or two to stretch and improve circulation.Listen to your body. If you're experiencing discomfort, cramping, or dizziness while driving or riding, it's time to pull over and reassess.Vector from PublicDomainVectors.orgThere’s no set time to stop driving, but many women find that in the third trimester, especially after 36 weeks, driving becomes uncomfortable or tiring. If you’re struggling to reach the pedals, experiencing frequent Braxton Hicks, or just feeling off, consider letting someone else take the wheel.Always talk to your doctor or midwife if you’re unsure.For more information about seatbelt safety in pregnancy, visit your local road safety authority. Or talk to your healthcare provider.If you're interested in purchasing a pregnancy seat belt adjuster, look for products from reputable Australian retailers that mention compliance with local safety standards. Brands that focus on maternity belts or pregnancy driving safety often have detailed guidance on usage and safety.

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