The Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS), NSW Chapter applauds the NSW Government Electric Vehicle Strategy and the very practical and significant financial incentives for drivers and organisations to switch to electric vehicles. The environmental benefits of reduced vehicle emissions and air pollution are critical for the health of other road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, our local communities and our planet.
The College would also like to highlight the added benefits of these new generation vehicles, which are also fitted with the latest safety technologies for the protection of vehicle occupants, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. These technologies include driver assistance features such as reverse parking cameras, blind spot monitoring and other warning systems.
ACRS NSW Chapter Chair, Duncan McRae stated, “The very real safety benefits that new generation vehicles bring are instrumental to our work of eliminating deaths and major road trauma across the state and the nation.”
Until recently electric cars were viewed as vehicles of the future, whose technologies were financially out of reach for most ordinary people. In the past, safety features such as airbags or ABS, were priced as luxury extras – they are now standard, but this occurred very slowly over time.
This new initiative by the NSW government should accelerate that process for EVs. Providing incentives for people and organisations to buyelectric vehicles with their driver assistance features, will increase the proportion of safer vehicles on our roads and reduce the numbers of crashes and casualties. Over time, as electric vehicles move into the second-hand market, they will also make the cost savings and safety benefits more accessible to all NSW drivers.
The College encourages families to consider, where possible, taking advantage of the NSW electric vehicle program to upgrade family cars. They can protect the environment while ensuring teenage and young drivers have access to the safest available vehicles while on their Provisional Driver Licences.
“Young drivers, under the age of 26 years, only make up about 15 per cent of all licence holders, but they account for almost a quarter of annual road fatalities. Getting new drivers into the safest vehicles possible is an effective way to reduce this statistic.” Mr McRae concluded.
About the Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS)
The Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) is the region’s peak membership association for road safety professionals, advocates, and members of the public who are focused on saving lives and serious injuries on our roads. The College provides an inclusive, collaborative environment promoting communication, networking, professionalism and advocacy across all spheres of road safety including policy, advocacy, research, innovation, technologies, and management. ACRS membership includes experts from all areas of road safety including policy makers, academics, community organisations, researchers, federal, state and local government agencies, private companies and members of the public.
Extracted from National Tribune