Tackling road safety head-on: crash test between new and old Toyota Corolla in new TV ad

A GRAPHIC and chilling crash test video, filmed for a new road safety ad, shows the difference between driving new and old cars can be life and death.

A GRAPHIC crash test between a new and old Toyota Corolla is being used in a new road safety campaign aimed to shock motorists into updating their cars.

The head-on crash between a used 2015 Toyota Corolla and a much older 1998 model shows the driver of the older car would likely not survive, even though the test was done at 64km/h.

The first road safety advertisement of its type was created by the independent, not-for-profit, crash-test authority ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program).

The new road safety advertisement aims to address the myth older cars are stronger in a crash. Picture: Supplied.

While not everyone can afford a brand-new car, the test shows the benefits of updating to more recent models that can be bought for half their new-car price.

The safety body deliberately chose a used 2015 Toyota Corolla as the modern car in the test because many of these are beginning to appear on the second-hand-car market.

“This is the first campaign of its kind, where the vehicle is profiled as being the lifesaving factor in a crash,” said ANCAP Chief Executive, James Goodwin.

“Many road safety campaigns have tended to focus on behavioural aspects such as speed, fatigue, drink driving and enforcement. They remain vital, however this campaign highlights the importance of choosing a safer vehicle.”

ANCAP says it’s highly unlikely a driver would survive this head-on crash test in a 1998 Toyota Corolla. Picture: Supplied

ANCAP says the advertisement is designed to dispel the myth that older cars are stronger.

“Often people say the older car is safer and stronger. It is quite clear that is not the case,” said Mr Goodwin.

“Importantly, this campaign also establishes the call to improve the affordability of newer, safer vehicles and encourage fleet renewal.”

The oldest vehicles on our roads (built 2001 or earlier) account for 20 per cent of the national fleet but are involved in 36 per cent of fatal crashes.

In contrast newer vehicles (built between 2012 and 2017) account for 31 per cent of cars on the road but are involved in 12 per cent of fatal crashes.

The aftermath of the new-versus-old crash test. Picture: Supplied.

“This means the rate of fatal crashes for older vehicles is four times higher than that of newer cars,” the ANCAP report said.

According to the most recent Census data the average age of vehicles in Australia is 9.8 years, yet the average age of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash has risen from 12.5 years in 2015 to 13.1 years in 2017.

This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling