Hidden dangers in 4WDs

By SCOTT MacLEOD transport reporter

They may look safe as they rumble along city streets, but those big four-wheel-drives are more likely than other vehicles to roll in an accident or skittle pedestrians.

Which is why the Land Transport Safety Authority is urging 4WD owners to join off-road clubs to boost their driving skills.

The authority's latest figures show 15 per cent of 4WDs roll over when they crash - and 42 per cent of those rolls are caused by driver error. Only 6 per cent of other vehicles roll when they crash.

Authority spokesman Craig Dowling said yesterday that one reason 4WDs rolled was that they were relatively tall and heavy, giving them a high centre of gravity.

The extra weight meant that their roofs tended to crush when upside-down, causing head and spinal injuries to their drivers.

And because they were heavier, they needed more distance to stop, posing hazards for pedestrians.

"We're not telling people to stop buying them, but to be aware of their characteristics," Mr Dowling said. "We are recommending they go to an off-road club."

The authority's brochure, released yesterday, says advertisers portray 4WDs as able to tame rivers, power through mud and conquer mountains while other vehicles struggle with judder bars at the local supermarket.

But most 4WDs are never taken off-road.

The brochure says they are instead used to transport families, tow trailers and cruise to skifields.

The authority gives the following tips for 4WD drivers:

* Take corners more slowly than you would in a car, to avoid rolling.

* Watch out for road users such as pedestrians and cyclists - a 4WD will hit them harder than a normal car.

* Place heavy luggage behind a cargo barrier inside the vehicle, and put only light items on the roof rack.

* Increase the following distance so you can stop safely.

* Remove bull-bars unless you need them for off-road travel - they can kill other road users.

Gerard Corlett, who drives for Tararua 4x4's Off Road Adventure Tours, said that in his experience the vehicles were only as safe as their drivers.

Novice 4WD drivers would benefit from learning off-road skills at a club.

"It's surprising that a lot of them get out of control when they hit bumps. They think of it as a speed sport when it's actually a control sport."

The number of 4WDs has grown steadily in recent years. In 1996, 8.3 per cent (14,581 registrations) of vehicles registered here for the first time were 4WDs - a figure that rose to 12 per cent (22,744) last year.