Price more important than safety, B.C. car buyers say

Price trumps safety, according to B.C. car buyers surveyed in an Ipsos Reid poll.
Only 32% of car buyers in British Columbia listed “safety” as one of their top three considerations when purchasing a vehicle, according to an Ipsos Reid survey conducted in December 2011 on behalf of the Insurance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC). The poll surveyed 1,048 adult drivers in B.C.
At the top end of the scale, 48% or respondents named price and 42% listed fuel efficiency among their Top 3 considerations.
When asked to identify important vehicle safety features, 57% of vehicle buyers cited side airbags (57%). Other mentions included anti-lock brakes (23%), brakes (18%) and seatbelt features (10%).
Only 1% listed electronic stability control (ESC) as an important safety feature, even though a study by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety shows ESC reduced the risk of involvement in a single-vehicle fatal crash by 49%, according to an ICBC release.
ICBC recommends the following safety features when purchasing a vehicle:
• warning systems;
• active head restraints;
• anti-lock brakes;
• electronic stability control;
• three-point seatbelts; and
• new airbag technology.