We are now nearly a month into our New Year’s Resolutions. Some are proving harder to keep than we thought while others have been easier than expected.

 

Get fit; go on a diet; quit smoking and cut up the credit card usually top the list of things to do as of January 1.

 

Well now, VACC, the peak Automotive Industry body in Victoria, wants us to add another one to the list.

 

VACC wants motorists to make a resolution to make auto safety a priority in 2010.

 

“We make personal promises to be healthy, to change bad habits and to live happier lives. Well, this sense of wellbeing should also be applied to our cars,” VACC Executive Director, David Purchase said.

 

“If a vehicle is in good shape, well maintained and receives regular check-ups, then it is likely to perform better, be more efficient and be safer.

 

“VACC vehicle safety figures for 2009 show a third of vehicles on our roads are unsafe. This number simply has to be reduced during 2010.

 

“VACC is so concerned by this that we have launched a public awareness campaign to alert motorists to the fact that they are responsible for the safety of the vehicle they drive. The best way to make sure a vehicle is safe is to have it regularly serviced by a professional. And if you book your car in for a service with a participating VACC repairer, they will conduct an additional check of the car’s key safety features, namely the brakes, tyres, lights, steering and restraints. It is called a Five Point Safety Check and what is more; it is free.

 

“To achieve New Year’s Resolution goals, we need realistic actions. VACC recommends motorists write the date for their next car service in the diary today. And if it is due soon, be pro-active and book your car in, before you get a reminder from the garage.

 

“The goal should be to have a safe vehicle all year round. So as well as regular services, motorists are encouraged to check tyre pressures frequently and to monitor the general condition of their car.

 

“If drivers can stick to their game-plans, the rewards will come. A well maintained vehicle is more efficient and will be cheaper to run. And a greater number of safe vehicles on our roads will help reduce the State’s road toll,” Mr Purchase said.