Why Do We Have Crashes

**vnx205** · 20th December 2007, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

....... .... What I can say I have noticed tho, is that in the 15 years we have lived where we do, the number of newer vehicles now far outweighs the number of old bombs on the road.

I suppose it depends a bit on your definition of an old bomb.
It's interesting that almost a quarter of the national vehicle fleet was manufactured before 1992.
It's also interesting that the average age is now almost double what it was in the 70's.
The following is from the ABS Motor Vehicle Survey March 2007.

AVERAGE AGE OF THE FLEET

The average age of all vehicles registered in Australia at 31 March 2007 was 10.0 years. This is younger than the 10.4 years recorded in the 2003 MVC. Vehicles manufactured before 1992 (more than 15 years old) comprised 21.9% of the total Australian fleet.
The average age of all registered vehicles rose from 6.1 years in 1971 to 10.7 years in 1997, and has since fallen to 10.0 years in 2007.

Of course averages are very easily distorted by a small number of very atypical results. A few Series I Land Rovers bring the average down quite a bit. That's why the median is often a better indication.
My impression is the same as yours. It seems to me that where us baby boomers started our motoring experiences in a clapped out Beetle, A40 or a Morris Minor, kids today at the same age are buying a brand new or almost new Hyundai or something similar.

**BigJon** · 20th December 2007, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by vnx205

, kids today at the same age are buying a brand new or almost new Hyundai or something similar.

And completely off topic, I expect young people today are much more likely to get into financial difficulty (or bankruptcy) because of their prediliction for having all new toys.

**BigJon** · 20th December 2007, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

even from day 1 of your working life if you have a HECS bill

No HECS debt here. Apprenticeship.

Only debt I have is a well managed credit card and a house mortgage.

**vnx205** · 20th December 2007, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

I think they see what their parents have, and lets face it, some of us have some pretty expensive toys n habits, and want it all...NOW

.... .............

I thought a comment I heard recently sums that up pretty well.
Someone said that young people today want to start with the house their parents finished with,
i thought that was a clever observation and a good way of describing what you have referred to.

**Jeff** · 20th December 2007, 05:44 PM

I've always been annoyed at the way drivers are grouped. Being a young male with a good driving record and millions of kilometres behind me I find it infuriating that I have always been classed as a greater accident risk than a female of similar age or someone older.

What if accident statistics were compiled by height, weight or race instead of gender or age. Do tall people have more crashes than short, or fat people more crashes than thin. If we classed crashing drivers by race it would be a hate crime, but because young males are an easy target they cop abuse in the media, from insurance companies and politicians wanting to sound like they care.

Like others have said in this thread the biggest difference is sensationalist media and their picking on a group that cannot fight back.

Jeff

**Lotz-A-Landies** · 20th December 2007, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Jeff

I've always been annoyed at the way drivers are grouped. Being a young male with a good driving record and millions of kilometres behind me I find it infuriating that I have always been classed as a greater accident than a female of similar age or someone older.

What if accident statistics were compiled by height, weight or race instead of gender or age. Do tall people have more crashes than short, or fat people more crashes than thin. If we classed crashing drivers by race it would be a hate crime, but because young males are an easy target they cop abuse in the media, from insurance companies and politicians wanting to sound like they care.

Like others have said in this thread the biggest difference is sensationalist media and their picking on a group that cannot fight back.

Jeff

Jeff unfortunately you have to fight with insurance companies and their actuarial tables compiled over many, many years.

The good news is that in the last few years the girls are catching up to young males for the rate of crashes, so all young drivers will be getting hit.

Diana

**strangy** · 20th December 2007, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Ian

What about vindictive cops & stitch-ups???.....Save the car, crush the driver!

yep crush them sods too?!

**Bulldog** · 20th December 2007, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bushie

I'll agree that P platers are too inexperienced - but where do they get the experience, other than driving, in all conditions.

By driving in all conditions for 120 hours or more with their parents for a few years before doing a decent number of paid lessons (much more than 3). And then when licenced, driving in all conditions, to SUIT the conditions. A lot of the drivers we're talking about (and i'm not saying all - i know lots of good responsible young drivers) put the foot down more when its wet to slide sideways around EVERY corner. Some of the same drivers had virtually no practice with parents, the parents never told them how to "behave" on the roads (obviously don't care), and got their licence after a small amount of paid lessons. Maybe 10-20 hours experience total.

When i got my licence there was a series of TV adds saying you should get 120+ hours of practice on L's. I kept a diary of it (did 140 hours before i started lessons).

Originally Posted by Bushie

Hands up those that haven't done that at some time during their younger years

. I remember telling my kids that I could get the old Datto 1600 up to 100mph between Engadine and Loftus. Looking back not a very smart thing to do and their reaction was appropriate. I suppose a bit different to doing it every day, but is that the situation or is there a fair amount of 'bull****' (on his part) associated with that statement, don't forget you are really only just out side his peer group.

Every morning in the wet he drives thru the work carpark sideways

. Yes, some might be BS but he's had 4 "accidents" and written off 1 car in a bit over 1 year of driving. All commodores

.

**bblaze** · 20th December 2007, 07:00 PM

lower the age to be able to drive, now I'm not saying on the road but in controled place like race tracks, farms ect. let them have a few minor crashes in controled conditions in a fitted out goverened rally car or the like. Make it compusry at school from 14years old
I started steering tractors tied to the seat when I was 5, driving cars on forestry roads when I was ten and doing hundreds of km a week when I was 14 on my rd 200 yammie.
cheers
blaze

**V8Ian** · 20th December 2007, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Rosco

I have never driven a big rig so definitely can't speak from experience, however I have a good mate who drove big jobs for Finnemores for many years. I recall having a yarn with him about stopping trucks and he distinctly told me that in a full emergency situation, if he hit the brakes big time he would pull up quite quickly. He said he would probably stuff most/all his tyres but would achieve it. If you think of it rationally, you may have say 60 tonnes, but you also have say 22 tyres with much greater contact area than a car, so if you divide the mass by the contact area it would probably equate to that of a car.

Any truckies care to comment?

Cheers

Bit of opposite lock can be fun in a car, NOT in a semi, goodnight Irene in a road train. Empty semis/b.d s/ road trains are harder to panic stop than loaded ones, ABS exepted

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