Small cars 'death traps'

Cheap, fuel-efficient runabouts may be a popular choice as rocketing petrol prices begin to bite, but they offer little protection from serious injury in an accident, a survey of crash tests has shown.

The cheaper vehicles often lack the safety features of bigger cars and station wagons, such as dual air bags, and are too lightweight to withstand the shock of hitting a larger vehicle, according to a study by Monash University Accident Research Centre, in Melbourne.

The worst performers in accidents was the Hyundai Getz (2002-2003), with 14.24 serious injuries per 100 crashes, the Daihatsu Hi-Jet (1982-90), with 12.14 serious injuries per 100 crashes, and the Suzuki Alto (1985-2000), with 10.60. The Daihatsu Mira, a common sight on New Zealand roads, also performed poorly. Almost 10 of every 100 Mira drivers involved in a serious accident would suffer serious injury, according to the findings.

The safest vehicles were the Volkswagen Passat (1998-2003), with 0.59 serious injuries per 100 crashes, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (1998-2003), with 1.11 serious injuries per 100 crashes, and the Honda Prelude (1997-2002), with 1.41 serious injuries per 100 crashes.

But car manufacturers have hit back at the research, saying it is skewed by the higher number of Australian crashes, especially as New Zealand models are often very different.

Philip Eustace, general manager of Toyota Hyundai, says the New Zealand Hyundai Getz has four air bags and ABS as standard, but earlier Australian models do not.

And Suzuki technical services manager Rodney Brown says the New Zealand Alto, made in Japan, is a completely different car from the Indian-made Australian Alto.

Monash University's used car ratings, published on the Land Transport Safety Authority's website, covered the results of 1.7 million crashes in Australia and New Zealand from 1987 to 2003. It measured the serious injuries caused to drivers and those caused to drivers of other cars involved in the crash.

The most important message for consumers to emerge from the findings is that they should be wary of light vehicles (those under 1000kg): 5.05 drivers of 100 are seriously injured in light cars - for the Hyundai Getz, the figure is as high as 14.24 serious injuries.

Monash University senior research fellow Dr Stuart Newstead says the smaller vehicles are built as economically as possible - and the biggest economy is attached to safety features.

"They tend to have a lot of problems in providing adequate performance protection. They're just too light - everything that hits them is a lot heavier, and they take a lot of the crash energy. And those vehicles are built at a price. [Buyers] really should think about what price safety is worth in a crash. Once the damage is done, it's very difficult to undo it."

Clive Matthew-Wilson of the car buyer's bible, The New Zealand Dog and Lemon Guide, goes further - calling the small cars "death traps".

"The real deadly ones are those designed to save fuel, with safety not really an issue. As a result, their bodies are not strong. They don't have proper seatbelts, they don't have proper airbags, and they tend to crumple in an accident. They're absolute death traps. There are cars that are so unsafe that you could make a pretty strong case for offering owners bribes to crash them."

But this doesn't mean that motorists should jump into a massive four-wheel-drive to protect their families. Although the cars rated well - large four-wheel drives caused only 2.63 serious injuries per 100 crashes - they are not as safe as they seem. The risk of a fatality in a four-wheel drive is three and a half times more than in other cars, and roll-over rates are double.

"Yuppie four-wheel drives are notorious for rolling, so therefore, although the vehicle will mash the Daihatsu Charade it hits, they're much more likely to be in a crash," says Matthew-Wilson.

The strength of the cars serves them well in a head-on collision, but is no use against a power-pole. The rigidity means there's no crumple factor, leaving passengers far more likely to be seriously hurt or killed.

Dr Newstead says car buyers should be aware of that before they consider buying a four-wheel drive they intend to use only to take the kids to school: "To quell some of the myths is very important. People's perception that a four-wheel drive provides more crash safety is often very wrong. In single vehicle crashes on the open road, it can be the worst vehicle to be in. They tip over so easily."

With these factors in mind, Dr Newstead has firm advice for the kind of car that safety-conscious people should choose: "Don't buy anything too light, and don't buy anything too heavy. Stick with something around the average mass of the fleet you're shopping in."

That's a medium to large car - like the Subaru Forester - which is the highest rating car overall. And for families, it's best to stick with the notoriously uncool station wagon.

Matthew-Wilson says a recent-model people mover is a good option, but buyers should make sure it's not just a converted van - another of Matthew-Wilson's "death traps" - which seriously injured 4.27 people per 100.

Buyers should also buy as recent a model as they can afford. In recent years safety features have improved "like you wouldn't believe", according to Matthew-Wilson. He says a car's features are even more important than the size of the car.

"Size and weight itself will not protect you, although if you're in a death-trap car, you're better to be in a large death-trap car than a small death-trap car."

The most important safety feature is air bags. Make sure there are at least two, says Matthew-Wilson. "Drivers shouldn't get a small car without airbags from the 80s or 90s. Any decent car has airbags, and if it doesn't, it won't protect you in an accident. If you doubt that, go to crash test sites and see what happens when they don't have airbags."

Obvious as it may seem, the type of seat belt fitted to a car can also have serious consequences for passengers in a smash.

"Avoid any vehicle that has lap seat belts in the back, because they can cut your child in half. If you've got a kid sitting in the middle at the back and [you're] in a serious accident, it will snap a kid's spine and probably cause massive internal injuries."

The problem for safety advocates is that pleas often fall on deaf ears. In reality, car-buying New Zealanders consider safety features a lower priority than spoilers. Matthew-Wilson wants all safety information on a car presented to any would-be buyer. But he concedes that this is unlikely to be accepted by used-car owners.

Dr Newstead says the key is getting this information to consumers.

"The [car-buying] decisions are made on an emotive basis rather than making safety a priority. Don't worry about the alloy wheels or the spoiler - get the air bags."