Are high-tech safety features a driving distraction?

Mark Schneider | 23/04/2018 11:09:28 AM

Today's cars come packed with an astonishing array of features that just a few years ago would have seemed like science fiction. Many of them, such as lane centring and automatic braking systems, are designed to keep us safe and secure on the roads. But what if all those features with their range of options, their buttons and all those things that beep at you were distracting you from the vital task of driving? Well that's the question that's been raised by an American survey ...

Five of the oldest safety features

Mark Schneider | 16/04/2018 8:24:21 AM

It's a sobering fact that the history of cars goes hand-in-hand with the history of road deaths. The first automotive fatality dates back to 1869 when the unfortunate Mary Ward was thrown from an experimental steam car and run over as it rounded a corner in Ireland. For much of that history vehicle safety has been something of an afterthought, but today, thankfully, safety is a central concern of most new car buyers, along with practicality, economy, style and price. But...

Five futuristic safety features

Mark Schneider | 28/03/2018 8:26:24 AM

Car safety has come a long, long way in recent years with features that once seemed unimaginable now becoming commonplace. In a few years the technology available in today's hi-tech prestige vehicles will be standard equipment, or even compulsory, in even the most basic cars. Equipment such as pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control and night vision systems will simply be taken for granted. So what's around the corner in vehicle safety? Let's take a look at five technolo...

Are you overloading your ute?

Mark Schneider | 28/03/2018 7:37:02 AM

Isuzu Australia has done tradies and business people a great service by putting together a webinar, "Is Your Load Killing Your Ute" highlighting the dangers of overloading utes, and it's well worth watching. According to Isuzu's Simon Humphries many business owners are blissfully unaware of how easy it is to overload their utes. It's a common practice that puts drivers at risk and damages vehicles long term while increasing the likelihood of copping some pr...

Safer automotive maintenance products welcomed

Mark Schneider | 24/01/2018 10:55:38 AM

While the threat of shark attacks are constantly in the news at this time of year it's a sad fact that more Australians are killed working on their cars than by Great Whites lurking in the surf. Each year around five Australians are killed by vehicles falling on them during maintenance, with a further 43 injured. It's a grim statistic that the Australian Government is keen to do something about. The government has recently strengthened safety standards on automotive maintenanc...

Safer stowing makes for happy holidays

Mark Schneider | 8/12/2017 2:17:33 PM

Happy holidays begin with a well-packed car. Luggage that's packed to the roof, blocking your rear vision while the kids are crammed in between the last minute odds and ends is a recipe for a stressful, miserable journey and a possible disaster. Badly packed cars are dangerous. For starters, packing your holiday gear to the roof will impair your vision. You really do need to know what's going on around you when you're on the road at all times. Find out more ...

Christmas crashes needn't be calamitous

Mark Schneider | 6/12/2017 8:54:03 AM

It's that time of year again. The weather's warming-up, the cricket's on the TV again and our thoughts are turning to Christmas shopping, holidays and getting together with friends and family. It should be a happy time for all, of course, but all too often the festive season is marred by accidents, and especially accidents on the road. In fact the Christmas holidays are notorious for car crashes. Increased traffic, distractions, tiredness and even stress can turn into a danger...

Can using seat belts wrongly cause injury?

Mark Schneider | 5/12/2017 2:46:02 PM

Modern cars come packed with an impressive array of safety devices designed to prevent accidents in the first place and to protect the driver and passengers should one still happen. But one of the most vital pieces of safety equipment is actually one of the oldest. It's the seat belt. The three-point seat belt was invented by Swedish engineer Nils Bohlin in 1958 and became standard equipment in Volvos the following year. Seat belts have undergone quite a bit of change since then w...

Five things to remember for designated drivers

Mark Schneider | 27/11/2017 11:09:46 AM

Christmas may be the season of goodwill, relaxing and getting together with family and friends, but it's also one of the most dangerous times on our roads. In fact the Australian Transport Safety Bureau tell us that more passengers, women and children under 15 are killed during Christmas holidays than at any other time of the year. One of the biggest causes of road crashes at this, or any other time, is alcohol. It's only natural that most of us let our hair down over the festive ...

Hate Speed Cameras? You'll Really Hate This One!

Mark Schneider | 15/11/2016 9:29:23 AM

Some people just hate speed cameras, those sneaky invisible roadside enforcers that relentlessly snap away, dispensing speeding fines with silent aggravating efficiency. In fact some people hate them with such a passion they’ve been known to hit them with hammers and other heavy things, park in front of them and even run over them with four wheel drives. Tut-tut. Naughty! Well they’d better not try it with the latest law enforcer from Germany. The Vitronic Enforcement Trai...

Volvo is dead serious about death-free driving

Mark Schneider | 10/06/2016 12:03:38 PM

If you were to do a word association test and the word “Volvo” came up, then it’s a reasonable bet that the first word that popped into your head would be “safety”. Volvos have always been synonymous with safety. Long before safety equipment like airbags, head restraints and even seatbelts became compulsory, Volvo were building safety into their cars from the tyres up. Well lately they’ve been taking that commitment to a whole new level with a commi...

Every Extra Drink Makes You More Likely To Crash

Mark Schneider | 23/05/2016 10:30:15 AM

For most of us who’ve been driving for a few years it seems so natural that we might be tempted to think that we’re probably OK to drive when we’ve had a few drinks. Well the reality is very different. While it might seem like second nature, driving is always a complex task requiring coordination, reflexes, judgement and concentration and they’re the very things that are badly affected by alcohol. Your ability to drive is affected from the moment you start drin...