WATCH: Did your car pass the #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test?
Global NCAP and AA South Africa launch the fourth round of #SaferCarsForAfrica crash test today and some very popular cars in South Africa did not make the cut.
Global NCAP (a major programme of the Towards Zero Foundation, a UK based charity working internationally in support of the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, with a goal of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030) recently tested three models of cars for safety and found that the Steed 5 pick up from Great Wall, the Haval H1 five-door SUV and the Kwid five-door compact from Renault are not safe for the road.
All three models were found to have poor levels of adult and child protection. In addition, the Steed 5 bakkie showed a high probability of life-threatening injury; getting zero stars.
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David Ward, Towards Zero Foundation President said, “This is a worrying set of results for the safety of both adult and child occupants in these popular African cars. Our second #SaferCarsforAfrica zero rating in the ‘Bakkie” category, with the high probability of life threatening injury, should be ringing alarm bells for any consumer considering.
“From our global perspective, with successful crash test programmes in India and Latin America, we can track the varying safety equipment specifications for cars manufactured in one market and sold in others. It’s therefore surprising to note that the Renault Kwid developed for Latin America, based on the original Indian version, has a better adult and child occupant protection performance, includes standard ISOFIX anchorages as well as dual front and side airbags.”
According to Willem Groenewald, AA South Africa CEO, they have been calling for an improvement in the safety standards set by the government since #SaferCarsForAfrica programme’s first results were launched in 2017.
“We have spoken to the National Regulator for Compulsory Standards about standards and although the evidence is clear, we are eager to see movement in this regard. Action is needed, and needed now because it’s about protecting South African citizens.”
Click here for the rest of the report.
Watch the crash test below
Take a look at how other cars rated below.
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IMAGE CREDIT: iStock
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