Drivers are being urged to put safety first and not buy cars that are over 15 years old.

Eight million crashes have been looked at to rate the safety of nearly 300 second-hand vehicles made from 1987 until 2016.

Motorists driving the worst rated models are ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash than those at the wheel of the highest-rated cars.

And footage released by the New South Wales government proves just how important your car’s safety rating is.

The video shows what a collision between a 5-star Mazda BT50 and a 2-star Toyota Hilux could look like in the real world.

The driver of the 5-star vehicle would have had their life saved, and could potentially have walked away unharmed.

But for the driver in the 2-star vehicle, the crash could very well be fatal.

Click PLAY below to see the collision

Bernard Carlon, Executive Director for the Centre for Road Safety tells Ben Fordham the new Used Car Safety Ratings Buyer’s Guide helps those looking for second-hand car to make the safest choices.

“We now have a clear, easy to understand star-rating for people to make the safest pick.”

He says inexpensive doesn’t necessarily mean unsafe, with some of the safest models being under the $10,000 mark.

Click PLAY below for the full interview

You can find out more about the guide HERE.