ACT drivers getting ready to travel this long weekend are being urged to take advantage of complete vehicle maintenance solutions to have peace of mind while on the road.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in 2020 the average kilometres travelled was 12,100km for all vehicles.
However, the most recent road safety report from JAX Tyres & Auto has revealed there is still a large gap when it comes to drivers’ willingness to check some basic safety items before hitting the road.
The survey interviewed over 1,000 Australian drivers and found only half (54%) carry out specific vehicle checks before a long drive.
From March 2020 until March 2021, two thirds (66%) of Australians took one or more road trips within their state, including 2.2 million drivers who have taken five or more road trips.
While the uncertainty of overseas travel remains, the report found that seven in 10 (71%) of drivers are likely to holiday in Australia this year, with women (74%) and millennials (77%) leading the charge.
Despite the increase in domestic road trips, the data revealed that only 28% of those interviewed check their tyre tread before hitting the road. Gen Z are least likely to carry out specific vehicle checks, indicating younger generations need to be educated on vehicle maintenance solutions.
The report also found one third (33%) of drivers say an orange or red light on a car dashboard would not stop them from going on a long road trip.
Without regular basic safety checks, cars are more likely to breakdown, causing road accidents.
In a recent analysis of vehicles inspected by JAX Tyres & Auto teams across the country, almost seven in 10 (68%) vehicles had an issue that required expert attention. Of these, 93% of the identified issues were classified as needing to be urgently addressed and only 7% were non-urgent.
As people begin to travel to visit family and friends, ACT Policing are also asking drivers to stay safe this long weekend as they target road safety on the Kings Highway between Canberra dn the .
ACT drivers are reminded Double Demerit points apply in the ACT from 1-5 April.
For all speeding, seatbelt, riding without a helmet and mobile phone offences, double the usual demerit points will apply, and as a further long-weekend road safety measure, an additional demerit point applies for all other traffic offences.
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