For sale: 1 star car
New Zealand Transport Agency
When car shopping, New Zealanders prioritise low KMs, fresh WOF, Rego, and price over most things.
It’s fair to say that Star Safety Ratings or how a car will fare in a crash aren’t top-of-mind when looking at freshly vacuumed, washed, polished, and sparkling vehicles. After all, you’re looking to buy a car, not crash it.
But the next car you choose to buy could be a life-or-death decision. Research shows that vehicle occupants are twice as likely to die or be seriously injured in a crash in a one or two-star rated car than they are in a five-star rated vehicle.
With approximately 800,000 vehicles changing hands in New Zealand each year, we had a real opportunity to save lives and prevent serious injuries; by encouraging those in the market for a car to make star safety ratings their top consideration in any vehicle purchasing decision.
“The numbers are clear, the higher the safety rating the more likely you are to survive in a crash” – NZ Transport Agency Senior Road Safety Manager Fabian Marsh
So, we put a 1-star safety-rated car up for sale, and let our target audience come to us.
Then we showed them it’s real potential.
The 1 Star Car was created in collaboration with crash experts, engineers, mechanics, and sculpture artists. With a car interior that accurately reflects how a 1 Star Car would fare in a crash; crumpling in on itself and crushing its occupants on impact.