Survey says

RACQ members have named safety and the cost of motoring as their top worries in a recent survey. In the wake of the scrapping of the state’s fuel subsidy last year, the cost of fuel was the single biggest concern among more than 1000 RACQ members who participated in the club’s 2009 motoring issues monitor survey. Almost 200 respondents nominated the cost of filling the tank as the motoring issue of most concern – closely followed by 193 nominating road safety.

The scrapping of Queensland’s fuel subsidy by the State Government last year added more than nine cents a litre to fuel taxes and increased car registration fees by up to 22 percent. Drink driving was the number one road safety concern of RACQ members in 2009, with 97 percent indicating it was an important or very important issue.

Running a close second with 93 percent was unsafe road conditions, followed by excessive speed and hooning (each 90 percent). Concerns over the impact of cars on the environment has slipped down the list since the survey was done in 2008. Environmental issues received only eight nominations as the most pressing issue for drivers. The drop in concern over climate change went from 54 percent in 2008 to 38 percent last year. But more than three-quarters of RACQ member respondents to the survey want their club to play a role in tackling the impact of motoring on the environment. The survey was done by members in December, find out more at www.racq.com.au