Knowledge is the key to driving safer consumer choices for used cars

Joint Media Release from Senator the Hon Carol Brown, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport; Professor Stuart Newstead Professor and Director; and Jerome Carslake, Program Director.

MEDIA RELEASE | 15 November 2023

The Australian Government is partnering with the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) to deliver the Used Car Safety Ratings program.

Through this program, the Government has committed $250,000 to MUARC to deliver the Used Car Safety Ratings stream over the next five years.

This funding will continue the vital work done in developing the annual updates to the Used Car Safety Rating. Through the annual update, the program aims to influence used car buyers to choose the safest vehicle available and thereby increase the safety of all road users.

The Used Car Safety Ratings program collects and analyses the most up to date crash and vehicle fleet profile data.

The data sourced for the Used Car Safety Ratings report is determined through the independent analysis of the latest real-world crash statistics. In 2023, the ratings have been expanded to focus on not only how a vehicle protects the driver, but also its impact on other road users in a crash and its crash avoidance technology. Each of these components is rated out of five, with a new Overall Safety star rating showing the combined results. 

Used Car Safety Ratings are determined through research analysis of millions of vehicles involved in police-reported crashes across Australia and New Zealand.

Importantly, demographic factors, such as who was driving at the time of the crash and the crash circumstances are considered, with ratings adjusted based on several factors such as: driver gender, crash location, driver age, crash year, number of vehicles involved, and the speed limit at the crash location.

The annual reports include a ‘SAFER PICK’ marking on vehicles which provide good protection for the driver, are less likely to result in serious injuries to other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and have a lower risk of being involved in a crash (including reversing crashes).

The Car Safety Rating Program, backed by a Government commitment of $16.5 million over five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28, supports the priority area of safe vehicles under the National Road Safety Strategy and Action Plan. 

The 2023 Used Car Safety Rating Report can be viewed here: USED CAR SAFETY RATINGS 2023