Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency says a new search filter launched by Trade Me today is good news for Kiwis looking to buy the safest vehicle they can afford.
Waka Kotahi has worked closely with Trade Me to support the new filter, which allows prospective buyers to search for vehicles by their safety rating.
Safety ratings indicate the likely performance of a vehicle in a crash, from 1 to 5-stars. Vehicles with 4 and 5-star safety ratings offer the most protection in a crash.
With research showing that vehicle occupants are twice as likely to die or be seriously injured in a crash in a 1 or 2-star rated car than they are in a 5-star rated vehicle, NZ Transport Agency Senior Road Safety Manager Fabian Marsh says the increased visibility of safety ratings on Trade Me is a big win for road safety in New Zealand.
“With around 800,000 vehicles changing hands in New Zealand each year there is great potential to save lives and prevent serious injuries by encouraging people to buy cars with a safety rating that indicates it will offer them a good level of protection in a crash.
“We all make mistakes when driving, and some crashes are inevitable, but safer vehicles can save lives in crashes. Checking a vehicle’s safety rating before you buy isn’t often high on the list of priorities for many New Zealanders, and we’d like to see that change.”
The safety ratings on Trade Me are compiled by Waka Kotahi and published on the
Rightcar website, which shows the current rating (ANCAP, UCSR or VSRR*) for each make and model of vehicle.
The new safety rating search filter is available now on Trade Me mobile apps and at https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/(external link) on desktop.
Notes
*In New Zealand, a vehicle’s safety rating comes from one of three sources: ANCAP, based
on crash test results for new cars; or UCSR or VSRR, based on real-world crash data compiled by the Monash University Accident Research Centre over the past 30 years.
For more information about vehicle safety ratings visit https://rightcar.govt.nz/safety-ratings(external link)
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