Annual safety checks for personal vehicles

[Lyle Reiner 174]

I work on commercial vehicles, they require annual safeties.

What would your thoughts be on having to have your car/truck safetied yearly. This would also include trailers of all sorts if you owned them.

Discuss

[eddylives 99]

Just another bull crap cash grab by government if they wanted.......

But on the flip side I know many private vehicles and trailers are not running our roads in a safe condition lol.

Commercial vehicles require annual safety's due to the fact they usually run a lot more than any private vehicle ever would , they are subject to much more wear and tear and given the loads many haul it's required for the general publics safety.

I have worked on many trucks and trailers in the wood industry and all I can say is WOW!! they get the piss beat out of them lol

[Guest cmcrawfo]

Its bad enough having to safety a vehicle on purchase.

[Guest cmcrawfo]

That being said, it is kind of funny that I can home build a trailer, and plate that without any inspection. There are some sketchy trailers out there.

[Lyle Reiner 174]

I kinda like the idea. For the following reasons

It will become more cost effective in keeping a properly maintained and safe vehicle. As you will have to repair safety related items annually, there shouldn't be any huge surprises every year.

It will remove many unsafe vehicles from the road, (rust buckets etc).

It will also generate business for garages, which in turns helps the local economy.

That's my .05

[Bobber Down 921]

Letter to wife "Sorry honey won't be home for supper this week. Gotta take the car in for it's annual safety".

[Guest cmcrawfo]

I did a quick search on auto accident stats. In 2005 in the US, 45% of accidents were related to alcohol. 25% were related to driver error, 20% were related to bad weather. 10-15% of accidents are related to mechanical failures. (I know, it adds up to more than 100%, let’s assume some accidents are multifactorial).

So, the real question is, would the costs associated with implementing and maintaining this program (not including costs to the consumer), be greater than the overall savings. And would this funding yield a better return if invested in another area, such as road maintenance, driver education, or alcohol cessation?

If you compare BC and Ontario’s accident stats from 2009 ( BC does not require a safety on sale/purchase and Ontario does) BC’s fatality rate is Double, yet their injury rate (per Billion vehicle kilometers) is only 10% higher. This 10% increase cannot be explained solely by the absence of the vehicle safety , and when we consider that weather/road conditions can be more challenging in BC than Ontario and that BC has a higher drunk driving rates …….

Long story short. I don’t think it would make the roads measurably safer. IMO

[Some Old Guy 968]

Annual safety inspection?

Ummm no. Every so many years after a certain age? Maybe. But still am against it.

While I agree with the theory, I'm still a little raw after a few years of getting not so good service by different garages and mechanics.

So who's to say that I get a bad garage that says I need this, that and the other when I don't really need it and I lose my ride?

Also not to mention I gotta pay for the inspection to make sure someone else tells me I'm safe? Cash Grab. I watch my gauges and listen for weird noises and try to keep on top of them. Get my oil changes and maintain my truck. Any other reason to change this?

Pretty soon we'll have to wrap ourselves in 4 inch thick bubble wrap just to step outside.

Roger

[McGinnis_Fishing 49]

Well for me being a young driver i would be pissed if i had to start peying for an annual safety! Insurance is enough at $300 a month thanks!

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

I just think it would be another thing were being forced to do. I am very against this. It would start us down a road I really don't want to be on. It's expensive enough to drive already. Last thing I need is more fees. I'd rather put that money towards tackle and a new boat.

[Wade O. 44]

I agree to an extent that there should be annual safeties cause there are some people that take the zero maintenance policy. These people drive around with brakes squealing front end clunking like anything and all they do is turn up the radio. Oh the things I could tell you that I have seen!....oh my brakes seem to judder.......no kidding because you have worn through one half of your rotor and the caliper is banging off the cooling fins on the INSIDE of the rotors!

I do agree however that it is a bit of a cash grab for the government at the same time. I know when I lived in southern Ontario with the clean air initiative, that was the biggest load I have ever seen. If your oil was dirty it could cause you vehicle to fail.... that's $ 60 bucks down the drain....then it was another $ 60 to diagnose why it failed for them to tell you you needed an oil change. Also with the people out there who have access to "rubber" safeties, all that could do is make money for the "shady/crooked" garage's/mechanics.

Just my .02

[Travis Schallock 28]

I've been in the trade long enough to see some pretty obvious problems that the owners do know about, but don't do anything about. So I can see how this would keep unsafe vehicles off the road. However, I don't think a yearly inspection is the answer maybe an inspection based on mileage. Say every 50,000 or something.

[levi64 72]

Oh Yes for sure. We should have them on motorcycles and ATVs also, then get into boats and motors. Maybe it can spread to our guns so we dont' have people out there with crappy guns that are rusty and maybe have metal fatique. Maybe to top it off we can have our houses inspected yearly to ensure proper upgrades are done to electrical and plumbing and there are no fire code violations, especially for garages and sheds. Really dude are you that bored. Just ask people in Nova Scotia who have new boat trailers, cars etc and have to pay to get them inspected every year. Lets get photo radar in while we are at it. How many people in the city are driving without insurance on their vehicles.. I'd gamble to say lots... So if someone owns a crappy trailer or vehicle do you really think they will stop driving it because they didn't get a sticker.. stand by to have your window broken and someone stealing your sticker. Go Fishing HIllbilly.

[uncle 19]

I'm sure if you asked the manufacturers they would be in favour of an expiration date on all vehicles. That would do away with yearly inspections but be harder on people in hillbilly318's business. I personally think we are all way over regulated and taxed the way things are now.

[bwkre 11]

As it stands safety checks are not required on all commercial vehicles. I've owned at least 3 commercial vehicles including several 3/4 ton vans and a 1 ton van. There is a weight that determines if annual safeties are required. There are thousands of commercial vehicles out there that don't require it so my personal vehicle shouldn't. Once all the commercial vehicles are being done then maybe we could consider personal ones.

As for the safety, it is really only good at the moment it was issued. Once the owner leaves with the vehicle, the safety is just a piece of paper. It offers no guarentee that the vehicle is fit for use once the vehicle leaves the inspection. Why? Because the garage has no control over how the the vehicle is used or treated.

I used to do maintenance and repairs to electric forklifts, including annual inspections. The inspected vehicles were always marked as " certified and fully operational at the time of service". It was the only way I would sign off on a machine, as I could not be responsible for what the operator did with it after I left. A certification done once a year can't guarantee a safe forklift for a year. I think the same applies to vehicles.

Next time you have a safety done, ask the mechanic if he will stand behind the safety 20 or 30 days later. You could be surprised at the answer.

Maintenance and regular repairs will keep it fit for and on the road.

Just my opinion.

[Squaretail 38]

Unless your a mechanic you don't realize the junk that's out there on the road. Most of the time people don't know that they have major issues going on with there vehicles either.

[ty16 4]

^{This is a Fishing/Hunting Website, No?}

[eddylives 99]

^{This is a Fishing/Hunting Website, No?}

We suffer in an awkward time between seasons........gotta stir the pot somehow lmao

[MILLER 77]

Vehicles cost enough to drive. I always say "I don't own a truck, it owns me!" We definitely don't need more bills these days, it's hard enough to live as it is.

[Lyle Reiner 174]

As it stands safety checks are not required on all commercial vehicles. I've owned at least 3 commercial vehicles including several 3/4 ton vans and a 1 ton van. There is a weight that determines if annual safeties are required. There are thousands of commercial vehicles out there that don't require it so my personal vehicle shouldn't.

Any commercial 3/4 ton that tows a trailer requires a safety. Your right that it's based on weight, but any 3/4 tonne with a tandem axle trailer is over the 4500kg gvw limit. ( not gvrw). So if you towed a trailer with your 3/4 or 1 ton, sir you were driving illegally.

All 3500 pickup trucks are over 4500kg. Just sayin.

Did you know that if you have a commercial vehicle with a safety requirement and you are pulling your boat trailer, it needs a safety sticker too but your travel trailer doesn't.

And I don't think that this is coming down the pipes. I'm just talkin haha

I will go fishing, ONCE THE @&@$&)?! Ice melts lol

[Adrian 132]

I have been in the vehicle business for all my workiing life. There are a lot of horror stories out there in both the commercial and private vehicle worlds. I have inspected vehicles (cars, trucks, snowmobiles etc.) involved in accidents, for government contracts, helping friends with used vehicle purchases etc., and sometimes it makes me shudder to think my family is travelling on the same roads that these vehicles are on. The inspections don't really bring any money to the government (maybe a couple dollars per sticker, but that's all) As far as I am concerned, the reason these types of laws are introduced is because we, the driving public do not take good care of our vehicles, and thus put ourselves and others at unnecessary risk. Even if the mechanic will not stand behind the safety inspection for any length of time, at the time of the inspection, the vehicle is safe, when maybe it wasn't before the inspection. Most of us do drive safe vehicles, but there is a small group of folk that have no regard or respect for the safety of the other guy, or themselves. They are of the same mindset as the ones that ignore other safety regulations - drinking and driving, talking on the cel phone, excessive speeding, racing, and on and on. Personally, I would feel more comfortable as my family travels the roads if all the vehicles were maintained in a safe state, but they are not, and admitedly, even if intersections are introduced, there are some that will find ways around it, and mechanics that will "rubber stamp" inspections, but some unsafe cars off the road is better than no unsafe cars off the road.

My 2 cents worth (sorry - no pennies now - 5 cents worth)

[levi64 72]

I think the site needs an off fishing Discussion forum.

[Gone8to1248 158]

I think the site needs an off fishing Discussion forum.

And it will be moderated by the government!! Of course it will also be taxed and need a special sticker!

[bwkre 11]

Any commercial 3/4 ton that tows a trailer requires a safety. Your right that it's based on weight, but any 3/4 tonne with a tandem axle trailer is over the 4500kg gvw limit. ( not gvrw). So if you towed a trailer with your 3/4 or 1 ton, sir you were driving illegally.

All 3500 pickup trucks are over 4500kg. Just sayin.

No argument on that one. Hooking up a trailer changes it. Even if the truck & trailer are empty, it is still capable of carrying the weight & must be licenced accordingly. None of my commercial vans had ( have) trailer hitches, just for that reason.

Your probably correct about the pick ups being over 4500kg. I owned a 97 Dodge Ram 3500 Van that had a max weight of 4250 kg. It was classed as a 1 ton. And it was a piece of S...

I've never owned a pick up personally or professionally.

Lets fish,

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

It's all bullsh*t. I'm not changing my windshield every year cause it has a crack. I've got a young 2 year old and a family to support. Driving mixed with fishing mixed with raising a family mixed with me being relatively young (25) means I'm not rich. Nobody wants this. This won't save lives or alter the way people care or don't care for the vehicle. This is just a joke. Do we really want more regulations put in place? Be forced to do something we don't want. Hmm, lets just allow anyone to inspect at any time with no reason, lets allow police officers into houses without warrants. Lets make yearly gun check to make sure all guns are in working order. This is not a good idea. Not in the private sector. What you wanna do with commercial vehicles is not my worry. It seems like people are more and more okay with giving up freedom for a "false" sense of security. Are we gonna run criminal record checks and assess the state of the driver at the same time as the inspection? Where does it end. Once you start this ball rolling you'll be amazed at how fast other regulations are put in place. No no no. My input.