Motorists are called on to attach greater consideration to pedestrian protection in the design of their vehicles.
The call was made by the Consumer Council on the publication of the latest of a series of crash-test reports by Euro NCAP since 1997.
The latest report (on 24 models comprising 5 large and 5 small MPVs, 5 large and 2 small family cars, 3 large off-roaders, 3 superminis, and 1 executive car), showed continuing improvement across the range of cars in occupant safety.
In this aspect, 12 models scored 4-star rating while 9 models achieved the top 5-star rating. One model, however, trailed behind with only 2-star rating in occupant safety due to its shortcoming in frontal impact test.
Consumers are urged to consult the report which detailed graphically, with the aid of a dummy, the results of the frontal and side impact tests on the various body regions of the dummy - head/neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, foot/ankle - in respect of occupant safety of the vehicles.
A review of the series of test findings by Euro NCAP has clearly showed that there has been significant improvement in occupant protection with most cars designed nowadays achieving at least 4-star rating.
The Council, however, is concerned that pedestrian protection on the cars tested has been rather disappointing, with most cars scoring only 1- or 2-star rating. Only 1 car could achieve 3-star rating in pedestrian protection.
Improvement in pedestrian protection, over the years, was minimal despite pedestrian deaths and injuries are very high in car accidents. For example, the vehicle fronts, such as the bumper or the bonnet leading edge, were very stiff and unforgiving to pedestrians hit by the vehicle.
Consumers should realise that both occupant safety and pedestrian protection are important factors in the choice of cars as injury or death to passengers or pedestrians will increase the cost of your motor insurance.
Responsible manufacturers are urged to redouble their efforts in addressing pedestrian safety.
Cars with design features necessary to ensure good frontal impact performance are not inevitably detrimental for pedestrian safety. Occupant safety and pedestrian protection can go hand in hand in car design.
As an example, the one car which achieved 3-star rating in pedestrian protection, was also awarded the top 5-star rating in occupant safety in this latest test.
It is clear that some car manufacturers are doing better than others, reflecting the effects of individual corporate strategies. Consumers' choice with due consideration to pedestrian safety will make a difference to such corporate strategies.
"HID" headlamps
Meanwhile, motorists are warned of the hazards of replacing original headlamps with "HID" (High Intensity Gas-discharge) headlamps that do not meet the legal requirement of the Road Traffic (Construction and Maintenance of Vehicles) Regulations.
Some drivers are keen to change to "HID" headlamps for their cars in order to see the outside view more clearly at night, and to make their cars more attractive. The Transport Department received approximately 90 complaints last year concerning that the light emitted from headlamps was too strong.
Non-compliant headlamps can generate problems that could result in inconvenience and even accidents to other road users:
- Improper positioning and alignment of "HID" light bulbs can cause emission of light in incorrect directions adversely affecting other road users.
- Reflectors of headlamp frames that do not match the "HID" light bulbs, render leakage of light.
- Headlamps with high colour temperature (higher than 4,300 K) are becoming popular but the high colour temperature could render the light bluish. The legal standard requires that the colour of beams emitted from headlamps shall be white or yellow only.
- Improper alteration may also cause leakage of high voltage electricity.
- High power light bulbs (e.g. 110 W - 180 W) may not match with the original design rating (mostly 55 W or 60 W), and cause overheating and fire hazard.
Vehicles that do not meet the legal requirements may have their licences suspended. The owner may also be prosecuted; the maximum penalty shall be a fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for 6 months.
To avoid causing inconvenience or accidents to other road users, the law stipulates that on roads with street lamps or on-coming vehicles, it is forbidden to use main beams.
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