Reporting statistics correctly.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Once again we have a news article reporting driveway deaths and pointing the finger of blame at 4WD! Toddler driveway deaths catalyst for change - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-22/toddler-driveway-deaths-catalyst-for-change/4478750)

The comment "The majority involved larger vehicles such as four wheel drives, utilities and trucks, and in over half the cases the vehicle was reversing." is typical. :mad:

Why don't they also suggest that the Commodore station wagon and the Toyota Tarago people mover are also included in the same category?

[OffTrack]

This was from reporting on the Coroners research report released in 2011.


A four-wheel drive, 4WD-utility or truck was involved in 77 per cent of all the driveway deaths reviewed and children aged between one and three accounted for 69 per cent of child driveway deaths.


Read more: Big cars involved in majority of child deaths in driveways | News.com.au (http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/big-cars-involved-in-majority-of-child-deaths-in-driveways/story-e6frfkp9-1226031998019#ixzz2Ig4NzDrV)

If you want to complain about biased stats you need to offer something more compelling than a jug of whine. :twobeers:

Those stats are pretty consistent across the states that have done research into driveway deaths. The main problem is reduced visibility to the rear, and there is a push to raise awareness. If you check the herald scum article, they were reporting that half driveway deaths occurred over the the summer school holidays.

[vnx205]

It is the shape of the vehicle that causes the visibility problem, not the transmission system. So blaming 4WDs is a bit misleading. :)

[DiscoDavey]

I'm not sure it really matters what is the cause or what stats they spruke, a child that is killed is a child killed. With all the technology available today, surely we are able to prevent ANY child being killed from ANY car by way of reversing or slow forward motion.

We can get a car to park itself, surely the same or simlar technology can stop us from running over a child in a majority of the situations.

Perhaps we - and car manufacturers - are more interested in protecting the person that buys the car, rather than anyone else??

[Hymie]

It is the shape of the vehicle that causes the visibility problem, not the transmission system. So blaming 4WDs is a bit misleading. :)

Late model Commodores have worse rearward visibility than my Disco.

[Bigbjorn]

The problem is not vehicle type or design but lack of parental supervision.

[Reads90]

The problem is not vehicle type or design but lack of parental supervision.

Totally agree

I have 4 4wd cars at my house and a 4 and 3 year old

Two things , all my cars have reversing cameras. Not expensive $60 of eBay.

And my kids are never allowed near the cars when I am moving them around. If they are about I put them in the cars to move the cars. They like that, sat on the Center console

Never have my kids running around on their own in the areas of the car