Thread: Defender Safety

Young people are overconfident anyway.

Driver training won;t make them over over confident.

But the skills may well save their life in a situation where their overconfidence leads them into a dangerous situation.

its simple really,,
how do you know what an out of control car does,
till you try and drive one thats out of control?

and NO_ONE crashes whilst in control,, do they.

This is what the NRMA has to say on the subject onto which this thread seems to have drifted.

Will an Advanced Driving Course help my Learner Driver?
Advanced driving courses are usually one day events located away from public roads. The NRMA does not recommend these courses for anyone under 25 years of age as they build over-confidence, with a resulting increase in crash statistics.
The courses often claim to make drivers safer, but they can have the opposite effect. Male drivers under 25 years of age, who are already over-represented in road fatality figures, are particularly at risk after attending such courses.
Many young people come to grief when they try to apply newly-learned high end car control skills on public roads. Drivers often become overconfident and more aggressive after attending these courses.
Racetracks and public roads are two completely different driving environments and young people often have difficulty drawing a distinction between the two.
Advanced driving courses can be fun but are better suited to mature drivers over 25 or those who are keen on amateur motor sport.
Defensive driving techniques are built into the NRMA Safer Driving Program. We teach young drivers how to react in all real world driving situations so they don't have to rely on emotional responses and undeveloped skills.

Source: Safer Driving FAQs - Safer Driving School - NRMA Motoring & Services

Originally Posted by vnx205

This is what the NRMA has to say on the subject onto which this thread seems to have drifted.

Will an Advanced Driving Course help my Learner Driver?
Advanced driving courses are usually one day events located away from public roads. The NRMA does not recommend these courses for anyone under 25 years of age as they build over-confidence, with a resulting increase in crash statistics.
The courses often claim to make drivers safer, but they can have the opposite effect. Male drivers under 25 years of age, who are already over-represented in road fatality figures, are particularly at risk after attending such courses.
Many young people come to grief when they try to apply newly-learned high end car control skills on public roads. Drivers often become overconfident and more aggressive after attending these courses.
Racetracks and public roads are two completely different driving environments and young people often have difficulty drawing a distinction between the two.
Advanced driving courses can be fun but are better suited to mature drivers over 25 or those who are keen on amateur motor sport.
Defensive driving techniques are built into the NRMA Safer Driving Program. We teach young drivers how to react in all real world driving situations so they don't have to rely on emotional responses and undeveloped skills.

Source: Safer Driving FAQs - Safer Driving School - NRMA Motoring & Services

Could it be that drivers who have a tendency or wish to drive more dangerously (or simply faster) will seek out advanced driver training to develop their skills? IMO this is more likely the case.

First a few facts then an opinion:
Airbags are now mostly set for each country according to laws and practices: e.g U.S have a lower speed setting as most drivers/ states dont require seat belts to be used so the bag has to stop a seppo in full flight whereas in Aus. belts and usage are law and around the 98% mark so the bags are set slower and to pop at a higher kph speed.
NSW under 7's need a booster seat and it is required that all other seats are filled before they sit in the front with the pass. bag
A 98 jeep wrangler I drove had a warning on the passenger side that no kids under(from memory) 12 sit there.
EARLY PROFESSIONAL LEARNER DRIVER TRAINING at purpose built facilities has been proven to reduce death and accident rates signifigaintly since it's introduction in AUSTRIA. This is a fact.
In my opinion I would and do trust my defender to carry my children.

Thanks to all of you who provided an intelligent response to the question in topic.

I'm now more confident that the Defender is up to the task, and I'm not being irresponsible in placing my kids in it.

Changed my mind now that the question has been satisfactorily answered

apparently air bags are harm full to kids when they come out so the landy is the choice car to carry all them little kiddies around