Beware the arms race on our roads

The rise of suburban four wheel drives has fuelled a fiery debate over road safety. Supporters claim one of the biggest attractions of these cars is their safety. Opponents contend that four wheel drives make the roads more dangerous for other drivers. Who is right? The answer, it seems, is both. According to a new report from the Monash Accident Research Centre, which analysed data from more than one million Australian crashes, four wheel drives reduce injury risk for their owners, and raise the risk to everyone else. From the perspective of their occupants, four wheel drives help save …