Tag Archives: research

Would you catch the train if you could Park and Ride?

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A new report from NRMA Motoring & Services has found that the main reason motorists don’t catch the train to work is due to a lack of sufficient and secure parking facilities at train stations.

43 per cent of those surveyed said they would use ‘Park and Ride’ facilities if they were provided. But the report found that some of the busiest stations in NSW are severely lacking in adequate parking:

  • • Strathfield 23 spaces – 10,700 commuters. 
  • • Hornsby 350 spaces – 7,290 commuters.
  • • Parramatta 780 spaces – 15,190 commuters.
  • • Bankstown 170 spaces – 4,720 commuters.
  • • Kogarah 330 spaces – 6,770 commuters.

“More than 80 per cent of motorists currently drive to work – we could get that number down considerably if motorists were given the option of driving to the station and parking in a secure, well-lit parking space,” NRMA President Alan Evans said.

He said it would be a great way to get motorists off the road and onto trains, reducing traffic congestion and pollution.

Transport Minister John Watkins said the NSW Government is expanding park and ride facilities at Seven Hills, St Marys, Glenfield, Werrington, Holdsworthy, Blacktown and Wenthworthville.

The report also showed that some of Sydney’s busiest stations don’t have any ‘Kiss and Ride’ areas – legal and safe areas for dropping off and picking up that would allow people to get a lift to the station rather than drive.

Would you catch a train to work if there were proper parking facilities at the train station?

Has Electronic Stability Control helped you?

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A study by MUARC has found that having Electronic Stability Control (ESC) fitted to your car reduces the risk of driver injury in a crash by up to 32 per cent. Research also showed the risk of driver injury in a 4WD in a single vehicle crash was reduced by 68 per cent.

What is Electronic Stability Control?

ESC is an advanced vehicle safety technology that compares the position of the steering wheel to the vehicle’s direction of travel. When a difference is detected, it automatically applies brake pressure to individual wheels. By correcting understeer or oversteer, ESC helps keep the driver in control of their vehicle. Some versions of ESC also reduce engine power.

It is different to ABS and traction control as it acts independently of the driver but it does act in conjunction with these functions.

Does my car have ESC?

ESC is also known as Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) – depending on the vehicle manufacturer. If your vehicle is fitted with one of these or a similar variant, then yes, it does have ESC.

Prior to 2007, few cars came standard with ESC. After its development, it was often available as an option, if at all, and mainly on luxury car models. However, today many manufacturers are making ESC standard in new models, sometimes even across the entire range.

MUARC’s ESC study

The study used crash data from “Australia and New Zealand to evaluate the effectiveness of ESC in reducing crash risk and to establish whether benefits estimated in overseas studies have translated to the Australian and New Zealand environments.”

MUARC looked at crashes involving 7,699 vehicles comprised of 90 different models, making it the broadest study of ESC-fitted vehicles carried out to date.

It found that:

  • Vehicles with ESC had a 32 per cent reduction in the risk of single vehicle crashes in which drivers were injured;
  • ESC was more effective in preventing single vehicle crashes for 4WDs (68 per cent reduction) than for passenger cars (28 per cent reduction);
  • ESC was more effective in preventing crashes resulting in driver injury than less serious crashes.

The study did not show if ESC was effective in preventing or reducing the severity of multiple vehicle crashes. But it did predict that ESC would prevent “nearly 500 serious injury crashes in Australia over the period to 2015.”

Have you felt ESC activate while behind the wheel? Did it help? If your car isn’t fitted with ESC, would you make sure your next car was?

Towing – do your research

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When we’re in the market for a new vehicle it’s customary to take into account its looks, level of comfort and fuel economy, as well as other factors like safety and handling, before we even contemplate signing the dotted line.

But if you intend to use it to tow a caravan, boat, trailer etc., you must do your research. Otherwise you might find out on the wrong part of your holiday that your SUV can’t tow 3000 kilograms of caravan after all.

Before purchasing the vehicle you need to understand a few things:

Did the dealer explain the towing capacity when the trailer is braked or unbraked?

While they may assure you the car is up to the task, you can’t take their word for granted. If you’re not provided with enough information, you might feel like they just want a sale – and you could be right.

We’d like to hear your towing experiences on the road and in the showroom.

For more information on towing, check out our Learning how to tow story.