How safe is your car? It’s probably a question you’ve either asked or even just wondered about. For most, it’s one of the most important aspects of their car. So why should you be concerned with how safe your car is? During an accident, your car will take most of the impact - and how well your car cushions you from the impact needs to be considered.
Car accidents happen in seconds - so it’s important to make sure you are driving a car that will keep you as safe as possible. How is the safety of your car determined?
In Australia, we are lucky that we are able to rely on independent research by the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) to determine just how safe each car is.
All cars are given a star rating from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest score. All cars on sale in Australia have an ANCAP rating - so be sure to ask!
ANCAP testing evaluates a car’s safety against a range of criteria in key areas of assessment including adult occupant protection, child occupant protection, vulnerable road user protection (such as pedestrians) and safety assist. Test criteria are updated every 2 years, so if your car scored a 5 ANCAP rating a couple of years ago then it may not have the same score today.
Physical crash tests are where the car is put through a crash simulation and dummies are used to assess the likely injuries that would result from the physical impact of a collision. Types of crashes tested include frontal impact, side impact, run-off-road, rear-end, and pedestrian strikes.
Your accident replacement vehicle also has a safety rating - be sure to ask the team more about the safety of your accident replacement vehicle.
If the accident was not your fault, then give Carbiz a call - we’ll help you. ?1300 889 256
Did you know that driver fatigue is one of the biggest killers on the roads? It’s also one of the hardest accident causes to combat - many don't realise they are tired and it’s difficult to police. The majority of people are likely to be fatigued either in the morning or later in the afternoon.
Driver fatigue can strike at any time while driving, but particularly if you’ve had a long day, not enough sleep or when you’re running on empty. Driver fatigue impacts your reaction time to road hazards as well as the time it takes you to respond to situations you encounter when driving.
What’s interesting is that driver fatigue can only partly be attributed to being tired of not having enough sleep - it can also happen to you while driving in a highly monotonous journey, such as a long road trip through the outback.
Tired or fatigued drivers have lower performance - they take longer to react to hazards. Besides the increase in reaction time, driving fatigued can also lead to impaired attention, the inability to focus and the impairment of decision making. This not only leads to you taking longer to notice a road hazard, but also means that if you’re driving fatigued, you will find it harder to assess the danger and then to make the appropriate decision to avoid it.
Microsleep or the short term loss of consciousness, typically occurs to fatigued drivers. This loss of consciousness, if only for a fraction of second, can be highly dangerous while actively driving. Microsleep can even occur and not be actively noted - in such cases, drivers will assume temporary loss of focus while they’ve actually been sleeping for short periods of time.
Driver fatigue can lead to accidents. We are here to help you after an accident, call us as soon as possible on our dedicated accident support line. ?1300 889 256
Road rage is more common than you think and experiencing road rage from another driver can be very confronting. Road rage can be anything from rude hand gestures to tailgating. While more serious cases can result in car damage from an accident that was not your fault or even physical assault.
Avoid eye contact. It’s important to never engage with road rage - don’t look at the aggressive driver and don't return any gestures. Doing so will escalate the situation further.
Stay in your car until you feel safe enough. Getting out of your car to retaliate or while the other driver is still angry may put you in more danger, rather wait it out until others are on scene or until you feel safe enough.
Increase the distance between you and the other driver. If you notice an aggressive driver while driving, then slow down a bit and increase the distance between the two of you.
Not at fault? If the other driver causes damage to your vehicle and you are clearly not at fault, then it’s important to call for help. While the other driver should stop and exchange details, he/she may drive off. In this case, it is important that you collect as much information as possible - such as their rego, car make and the description of the driver. If they do stop, be sure to remain calm during your exchange of details. If you do not feel safe, then you should call for help.
Pull off the road if it is safe to do so and call Carbiz immediately. Our team will be on hand to help you. ?1300 889 256
Ever heard a story about a car accident where the not at fault driver was short-changed? Were the details unclear and did you have a suspicion that things were not as they should be? Here are some common misconceptions. Before we unpack these, if you are not at fault - you shouldn't be left out of pocket. Our team will help you!
If you’re not at fault and you don’t have optional car hire cover, then you will need to pay for your accident replacement vehicle.
No, this is not always the case! If you are not the driver at fault, then you have the right to drive. This means that you may be entitled to a like for like accident replacement vehicle while your car is being repaired, with the costs covered by the driver who was at fault.
You will need to pay for the costs associated with your accident replacement vehicle.
When you work with Carbiz, we will ensure that the costs are recovered from the at-fault party’s insurer on your behalf.
If you get an accident replacement car, it will be nothing like your own.
No! It’s important to remember that you have the right to drive a like for like vehicle - one similar to your own car in the repair shop. If you are used to driving a Tesla, then we will help you with a Tesla accident replacement vehicle! Not at fault? Contact our team, we’ll help you ?1300 889 256
Have you ever wondered what really happens to your body during a car accident? Did you know that most severe car accident injuries happen at speeds that many wouldn’t consider dangerous? Yes you read that right - you don’t need to be speeding to get seriously injured.
While most modern cars are designed to absorb the impact of a car accident, it’s important to understand the basics of what really happens when you come to a sudden halt as a result of a car accident. While driving, your body and your car have a certain amount of kinetic energy created by the motion. When you suddenly stop, your car is designed to absorb most of this energy from the impact, however, your body will still be forced into motion - usually stopped through impact with your seatbelt or another part of your car.
Frontal injury is caused when you continue moving forward after the impact. This can be force into your seatbelt, steering wheel or even your dashboard. If you are wearing your seatbelt, you will still have frontal impact into it - and while it is designed to save your life, it can still leave you with an injury.
Common injuries caused by your seatbelt include broken or fractured collarbones, broken ribs or even a punctured lung. If your seatbelt is not worn correctly, injuries can be more serious including massive internal injuries.
Frontal impact and injury can also be caused by your airbag. Your airbag is designed to push your head and body backwards. However, due to the force that your airbag exerts when deployed, injuries can occur. Such injuries can include temporary or even permanent blindness, facial injuries or even neck and spinal injuries.
But what happens when there is a cabin intrusion as a result of the accident? It can happen that parts of your vehicle can collapse and be forced into the cabin.
And besides these frontal impacts, rear end collisions, side collisions and rollover accidents are all types of accidents that can cause a lot of harm to the occupants of the car.
All of these types of accidents involve the transfer of kinetic energy to either the car or to yourself - and the latter leaves you open to injury.
Need help after an accident that was not your fault? Contact our team, we’ll help you.?1300 889 256
Accidents are always inconvenient and upsetting - but imagine getting into a car accident while driving your company car or work vehicle. Things can certainly be more complicated, so we’ve outlined what you should do.
Contact your employer
If you’ve had an accident in a company vehicle, it’s important that you let them know first what has happened. As the company vehicle is probably insured through your company, you will need to provide these insurance and contact details and not your own personal insurance details.
Gather evidence
With any accident, it’s important to make a record of what has happened. Evidence is important for the insurance claim, to help explain the car accident after the fact.
Were you hurt?
Accidents can leave you with physical injury. If you’ve been injured, it’s important to seek help from a Doctor or GP who will assess your injury, prescribe any treatment(s) necessary as well as advise on recovery times. For more information on the steps you should follow, check out this earlier post.
Determining fault and responsibility
As your accident was in your work’s car, the next question that will need to be answered is what were you using the vehicle for at the time of the accident. Were you performing work related tasks, such as transporting goods for your job or driving between sales meetings, or were you driving the car for personal errands. If you were driving around for personal errands, then you may be held responsible and your own insurance provider may need to be involved.
Tell your employer about Carbiz
If the accident was not your fault then you have the right to drive - we will help you get back on the road as quickly as possible with a like for like accident replacement vehicle.
Car crashes are one of the most stressful situations to be a part of. From high strung emotions to not knowing what to do, it’s often the case that even simple fender benders turn nasty.
We’ve put together a few simple car accident etiquette rules to keep in mind the next time you get into an accident.
Stay calm
In the heat of the moment it can be very easy to let your emotions get the best of you. Take a few deep breaths and remember that it's more important to remain calm. Just after an accident, it’s best to be emotionally available to assess the situation, call for help and take in everything that’s happening.
Be polite
Even if you are nervous, anxious or angry, it’s best to stay polite immediately following your accident. There’s no need to shout at the other driver or to be rude - accidents are just accidents. Another important thing is to refrain from saying sorry - this may be taken as admission of guilt later on when fault is determined.
Move and call for help if necessary
If no one is seriously injured and you are able to move your car, then it’s best to move out of the way of traffic and turn on your hazards to warn of danger.
Exchange information and gather evidence
Remember to exchange information with all the other parties involved. At the same time, gather evidence on what happened to cause the accident. We’ve put together a list of things you need to gather for your claim. Not at fault? We’ll help you.
Contact Carbiz as soon as possible
If the accident wasn’t your fault, then you shouldn’t be out of pocket. Our team is ready to help you with your accident claim, getting you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Give us a call as soon as possible, we’ll help you ?1300 889 256
Ever had to deal with smash repair lingo that’s left you feeling a little more confused than confident? We’ve put together a quick guide to brush up on your smash repair lingo.
Aftermarket parts - While aftermarket parts can be appealing as they are generally cheaper than genuine ones, they are not made by the original equipment manufacturer. Choosing aftermarket parts can be cheaper in the short term, but they can leave you out of pocket later on.
Filling - filling, or putty filling can be used to restore original contours in a panel. A putty paste is mixed and then put onto a surface to dry and harden. Once the putty filler has hardened, the surface can be smoothed and shaped through sanding.
Genuine parts - genuine parts can be the most expensive replacement option and will carry the brand logo of your car manufacturer. These parts are not typically manufactured by the car manufacturer themselves, but rather from another company who adds the car makers logo.
Non-structural repairs - these repairs are more cosmetic and generally affect the panels or exterior parts of your vehicle.
Sanding - sanding is used to smooth, shape and contour panels. Sanding is also one of the last steps in preparation for spray painting.
Stretching and shrinking - this is a process where heat is applied to any damaged metal panels. A hammer is then used to reshape the panels back to their original shape.
Re-alignment - force from an accident can cause the under body of your car to be out of alignment. Re-alignment is the process that ensures that everything is properly aligned and that your car is safe to drive.