As a road safety reminder before the biggest driving weekend on Australia, Continental Tyres released a report highlighting the scariest roads in Australia, urging drivers to prioritise essential tyre maintenance, ahead of the Easter holidays.
The research, by Continental Tyres, focused on both urban roads and highways and identified the scariest roads in Australia. Across the nation, as voted by the correlating states residents, these include QLD’s Bruce Highway (56%), NSW’s Parramatta Road (51%), WA’s Kwinana Freeway (50%), ACT’s Monaro Highway (49%), and SA’s Victor Harbor Road (45%), TAS’s Midland Highway (44%), NT’s Stuart Highway (36%) and VIC’s Sydney Road (25%).
Alongside identifying the scariest roads, the research highlights the importance of regular tyre checks with Aussies lacking confidence on the road, especially as school holidays approach with a majority (73%) of drivers planning to actively avoid notoriously dangerous roads.
Mitchell Golledge, Managing Director, Continental Tyres Australia, said: “As a tyre company we want to ensure that Aussies feel safe and confident on the road, especially ahead of long weekend road trips. It’s saddening to see in the research that people are avoiding particular routes, and enough emphasis isn’t being placed on vital tyre maintenance.”
Furthermore, the study found that dangerous drivers (81%) scare Aussie drivers most when on the road – followed by bad road quality (41%), wet roads (34%), congested roads (29%) and merging (27%).
When respondents were asked what car safety features instil confidence and encourage them to feel safe on the road, a quarter of Aussies listed safety technology (25%) as the top feature. This was followed by brakes (23%), seatbelts (18%), tyres (15%), handling (9%), airbags (6%), mirrors (2%) and headlights (1%).
When looking at the location of drivers, it was revealed that those based in NSW (29%), QLD (24%), TAS (19%), NT (38%) and ACT (25%) viewed safety technology as the most confidence-inducing feature of their car, whereas, those in VIC (26%) and SA (25%) elected brakes, and West Australians (23%) relied on their seatbelts for confidence when on the road.
Despite the perceived confidence provided by tyres (15%), the study revealed that nearly two-thirds of drivers (62%) have not personally checked their tyre pressures in the last month, as recommended. Additionally, only nearly a third of respondents (31%) have examined their tyre tread in the past month.
The research indicates how a perception of car safety positively correlates to confidence behind the wheel, highlighting an increased need for awareness of the importance of tyre maintenance.
“A feeling of safety imparts confidence, and tyres play a major role in a car’s overall safety. While regularly checking your tyres is crucial, investing in a set of high-quality tyres will also go a long way to helping you feel secure while driving, especially in precarious conditions,” added Golledge.
The recent launch of Continental Tyres’ eContact tyre coincides with the research – the first EV dedicated tyre for the brand – incorporating cutting-edge features aimed at alleviating drivers’ fears, namely ContiSeal and ContiSilent.
To ensure safety and confidence, Australians are advised to routinely assess their tyres for potential replacement or upgrade. Specifically designed for EVs, eContact is formulated to handle the increased weight and instantaneous torque delivery of electric vehicles, offering a range of benefits that set it apart.
