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| Steve Spalding |
PARENTS should drive old bombs themselves and give teen drivers the keys to their newer and safer cars, the state's peak motoring body says.
RACQ executive manager of technical and safety policy Steve Spalding told The Courier-Mail younger drivers were typically given older cars to drive but were more likely to survive accidents in cars with better safety features.
In the 12 months to October this year 32.5 per cent of deaths on the road involved motorists aged 16-24.
"I think with young drivers and cars it's always better to put them in the safest car, which often isn't your first thought," Mr Spalding said.
"You put them in the older car because of a few knocks and scratches. People still tend to think bigger is better but it's not the case.
The RACQ's online buyer's guide lists some of the safer second-hand small and light cars, including the Mazda2 (07-10), Honda Civic (06-10), Peugeot 307 (01-09), Volkswagen Golf/Bora (99-04), Volkswagen Golf/Jetta (04-10) and Volvo S40/V40 (97-04).
The Courier-Mail has joined forces with the Queensland Police Service in the Below 300 campaign to try to keep the 2012 road toll under that figure.
The road toll yesterday stood at 274, which was 14 more deaths than at the same time last year.
The official national Christmas-New Year road toll period begins tomorrow and police yesterday pleaded with motorists to pay attention on the roads and drive to the conditions.
Inattention was this month added alongside speeding, drink-driving, not wearing seat belts and fatigue as one of the "Fatal Five" major causes of road deaths.
"What police would really like to see over this break is that they do not have to issue one single ticket," State Traffic Operations Inspector Ray Rohweder said.
"Contrary to popular belief police don't enjoy catching people breaking the law.
"If that occurred that would mean that everyone has obeyed the road rules and that would guarantee that people in Queensland would arrive at their destination safely."
www.couriermail.com.au
RACQ executive manager of technical and safety policy Steve Spalding told The Courier-Mail younger drivers were typically given older cars to drive but were more likely to survive accidents in cars with better safety features.
In the 12 months to October this year 32.5 per cent of deaths on the road involved motorists aged 16-24.
"I think with young drivers and cars it's always better to put them in the safest car, which often isn't your first thought," Mr Spalding said.
"You put them in the older car because of a few knocks and scratches. People still tend to think bigger is better but it's not the case.
The RACQ's online buyer's guide lists some of the safer second-hand small and light cars, including the Mazda2 (07-10), Honda Civic (06-10), Peugeot 307 (01-09), Volkswagen Golf/Bora (99-04), Volkswagen Golf/Jetta (04-10) and Volvo S40/V40 (97-04).
The Courier-Mail has joined forces with the Queensland Police Service in the Below 300 campaign to try to keep the 2012 road toll under that figure.
The road toll yesterday stood at 274, which was 14 more deaths than at the same time last year.
The official national Christmas-New Year road toll period begins tomorrow and police yesterday pleaded with motorists to pay attention on the roads and drive to the conditions.
Inattention was this month added alongside speeding, drink-driving, not wearing seat belts and fatigue as one of the "Fatal Five" major causes of road deaths.
"What police would really like to see over this break is that they do not have to issue one single ticket," State Traffic Operations Inspector Ray Rohweder said.
"Contrary to popular belief police don't enjoy catching people breaking the law.
"If that occurred that would mean that everyone has obeyed the road rules and that would guarantee that people in Queensland would arrive at their destination safely."
www.couriermail.com.au
22.12.12
