Large vans ’most unroadworthy’ at annual test
Large vans remain the most unroadworthy vehicles when presented for annual test, according to the latest figures from DVSA.
These show that more than half (50.3 per cent) of all goods vehicles of between 3.0 and 3.5 tonnes gross weight failed their initial test in 2013-14. The figure for passenger cars and vans below three tonnes was 40 per cent.
Lighting/signalling, and brakes were the most common defects found on heavy vans, with almost 31 per cent of these vehicles having defective lights and/or signals and nearly 23 per cent defective brakes.
It’s a similar story for inspections carried out at the roadside and at operators’ premises by DVSA’s enforcement arm. British-registered light goods vehicles have a prohibition rate of over 60 per cent, compared to under32 per cent for British-registered heavy trucks, just over 20 per cent for British buses and coaches, and just under 30 per cent for trailers.
Prohibition rates for foreign-registered vehicles stopped on British roads are 34.1 per cent for trucks, 30.7 per cent for buses and coaches, and 42.6 per cent for trailers. Foreign-registered light goods vehicles attracted a prohibition rate of 60.2 per cent.
