Road Safety Minister Paul Papalia is urging people to make safety a high priority when buying a second-hand vehicle.
The 2021 Used Car Safety Ratings Guide, which has just been released, helps drivers by providing safety ratings for 276 used vehicle models manufactured from 2000 onwards.
This list provides the safest vehicle choices through publication of a driver protection star rating based on Monash University's statistical analysis of police-reported crashes for more than 8.8 million vehicles.
Research conducted by the Monash University Accident Research Centre shows that a driver is eight times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in the worst scoring vehicle compared with the safest pick.
The Used Car Safety Ratings Guide is particularly important this year because the new vehicle market has been heavily impacted by COVID-induced production delays, and many more people are turning to used vehicles.
The guide was developed by the Vehicle Safety Research Group through the Monash University Accident Research Centre, with support from the Road Safety Commission.
The 2021 Used Car Safety Ratings Guide is available for downloading at https://www.rsc.wa.gov.au
As stated by Road Safety Minister Paul Papalia:
"I urge people to check out the Used Car Safety Ratings Guide to help make a safe decision on which car to buy.
"A good safety rating is particularly important for new drivers getting their first car.
"Safety features such as airbags, autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warnings are proven lifesavers on our roads.
"There are plenty of affordable used cars with excellent safety ratings, and this guide makes it easy to find a vehicle that suits everyone's needs."
