Tyre maker Continental has released a new national report which it says provides insights into the scariest roads in Australia.
As part of a new push to prioritise essential tyre maintenance ahead of the Easter holidays, Continental’s study also highlighted the low rate at which Australians are conducting tyre maintenance.
The research focused on both urban roads and rural highways to identify the scariest roads in the country, with major roads in each state or territory emerging as the most popular choices.
In Queensland, the Bruce Highway was voted the scariest road at 56 per cent, while Parramatta Road was voted as NSW’s scariest road polling 51 per cent of the responses. In Western Australia, the Kwinana Freeway received 50 per cent of the votes, while the Monaro Highway was named as the ACT’s scariest road with 49 per cent of the votes in that Territory.
In South Australia, Victor Harbor Road received 45 per cent of the votes, Tasmania’s Midland Highway was named its scariest at 44 per cent, while the Northern Territory’s scariest road was the Stuart Highway at 36 per cent.
In Victoria, Sydney Road was named the scariest at 25 per cent.
Continental Tyres Australia managing director Mitchell Golledge said that 73 per cent of people in the study plan to actively avoid these dangerous roads, highlighting the importance of regular tyre checks.
“As a tyre company we want to ensure that Aussies feel safe and confident on the road, especially ahead of long weekend road trips,” Golledge said.
“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,” Golledge said.
The study also found that dangerous drivers scare Australian motorists the most on the road, followed by bad road quality, wet and congested roads and merging.
To combat these fears, respondents said safety technology is giving them more confidence to take to the road, with brakes, seatbelts, tyres, airbags and mirrors also listed.
On the tyre front, the study found that nearly two-thirds of drivers haven’t personally checked their tyre pressures in the past month.
“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,” Golledge said.
