To help you develop your own safe car purchasing policy, you may wish to view TAC Vehicle Purchasing Policy.

Safety features to ask for

Currently available and advanced safety features are integral to further reducing the road toll. These include:

• antilock braking systems (ABS)
• electronic stability control (ESC)
• curtain airbags
• dual front airbags
• side airbags for body and head protection
• seat belt pretensioners and 3 point seat belts in all seating positions
• intelligent speed alert system
• seat belt reminders for drivers and all seating positions
• daytime running lights
• intelligent speed adaptation (ISA)
• headrests (to at least four seats)
• alcohol interlocks

Side airbags, curtain airbags, electronic stability control (ESC) and seat belt reminders for the driver are available now and should be requested for current purchases or those in the near future. Seat belt reminders for all seating positions should also be specified for cars to be purchased in the next few years.

ISA technology is well developed technically but not yet available commercially. Devices for retrofitting should be available in the next few years. These should be requested from manufacturers now for implementation in new cars within the next 3-5 years.

To help fast-track the inclusion of safety features as standard across all car models, notify manufacturers that new safety technologies are a key criterion in your car purchasing decisions and make safety performance a major priority for your company’s fleet. Make it your responsibility to only purchase cars which achieve a high safety rating.