Aussie chauffeurs advised of obscure roadway policy that can score you a cost-free cars and truck

The standard Australian motorist takes a trip greater than 200 kilometres every week in their lorry. For those that rely upon their cars and truck for an everyday commute, being associated with an auto accident can be among life’s terrific troubles.

But if the accident had not been your mistake, there’s no factor you need to be left without a just as great cars and truck while your own is going through any type of repair work. In reality, you’re legitimately qualified to one.

“About three in four people aren’t aware of their right to drive after they’re not at fault in an accident,” says Nicolas Rio, general manager at Right2Drive.

“It refers really to rather an old legislation– the legislation of demurrage,” he explained, with the term being borrowed from the shipping industry and its application to road accidents has even been upheld in the High Court of Australia. “The legislation still applies today … if you have actually remained in a mishap and you’re not responsible, you’re legitimately qualified to be brought back to the setting prior to the crash,” Rio told Yahoo News.

However, according to the company’s research nearly three quarters (74 per cent) of Australian drivers are unaware of such a legally enshrined entitlement. Right2Drive claims since its inception, it has helped some 300,000 drivers with a free car across Australia and New Zealand, with the company then chasing up the insurance provider of the driver who was at fault to cover the costs of the loan car.

Simple thing drivers can do to not be at fault

The company has compiled data on the types of crashes it responds to, revealing the most common trouble spots for motorists.

“We’ve obtained an extremely considerable information base of occurrences and collisions from our propriety system … that stand for non-fatal occurrences,” Rio said.

One of the details from crashes in NSW, for instance, is that drivers are about three times more likely to crash in a car park (14.7 per cent) compared to a roundabout (5.6).

There is one useful tip that could help you avoid being liable — reversing into car spots. That’s because reversing out into a busy car park can be a common cause of crashes, and the reversing driver will almost always be deemed to be at fault.

An Aussie insurance broker previously warned drivers they should reverse into a parking spot because backing out with limited vision could increase the chance they’re liable for a fender bender.

Queensland insurance broker Dan Ufer (left) and right is a car which has reversed into a parking space.

The Insurance Council of Australia has previously confirmed to Yahoo News Australia the little-known fact, that in most cases the reversing driver is automatically deemed to be the at-fault. But Rio said there are rare cases where that rule doesn’t hold.

“We most definitely have circumstances where individuals have actually been turning around and are not responsible,” he said. “If a person opens up a vehicle door right into a turning around lorry, they [the reversing car] are not responsible,” he said, for example.

The NSW focused data also showed rear-end collisions are the most common type of road crash at nearly 34 per cent of accidents, while single-lane roads were the most dangerous spots, accounting for nearly a quarter of crashes, followed by multi-lane roads, car parks, traffic lights, intersections and roundabouts.

Vehicle safety features touted as way to reduce crashes

This week is National Road Safety Week with the annual initiative bringing together government bodies and road safety organisations to address the high costs of road collisions and work to reduce them.

Professor Stuart Newstead, Director of the Monash University Accident Research Centre, on Monday highlighted the boon that has come from increased safety features and technology from car manufacturers.

“Vehicle security renovations have actually played a significant duty in decreasing roadway injury over the previous half a century. Safer lorries not just secure residents throughout collisions yet significantly aid protect against collisions entirely,” he said.

“However, there is still considerable possibility to lower roadway injury by urging more secure lorry selections, specifically amongst more youthful and older chauffeurs,” he added.

Earlier this year, Yahoo highlighted research that showed young drivers can be overrepresented in road fatalities, in part because they are more likely to purchase older, less safe vehicles. Budget-conscious young drivers often prioritise affordability over safety features, leading them to purchase cars with outdated braking systems, lower crash safety ratings, and worn-out components.

” A vital emphasis throughout National Road Safety Week ought to be exactly how we can open this staying capacity [of vehicle improvements] to conserve lives,” Prof Stuart claimed.

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