Car defects, such as brake problems, exploding tires, and cars that are purely not roadworthy, are responsible for a significant number of accidents that occur on the streets of South Africa. If we made Multi-Point Vehicle Inspections mandatory, would that make driving on our roads safer?
According to Julian Pillay, national president of the Vehicle Testing Association (VTA), car defects or un-roadworthiness is a factor contributing to the fatal car accidents that take place annually in South Africa.
According to the findings of various studies and reports, the following are the primary causes of life-threatening automobile accidents in South Africa: Just before a collision, a tire failure caused by smooth tires, bad brakes, unsafe vehicles, headlights that were either defective, too bright, or not turned on are the most common causes for road accidents. Safety checks of motor vehicles that are required to be performed at multiple points could make roads much safer.
The National Traffic Information System provides South Africa with the only formal safety statistics currently available. On the 31st of July in 2022, the total number of operational and licensed vehicles in South Africa is 13.154 million. Roughly 21% of these cars represent the only ones that are mandated to undergo periodic inspections. This includes trucks, buses, and taxis, in addition to cars whose ownership is frequently transferred. This indicates that 79% of the car population of South Africa does not need to be checked, regardless of how old the car is.
This indicates that the large percentage of cars currently operating on our roads are getting older and, even though they may appear to be theoretically and legally compliant (granted a license), this does not mean that they’re particularly safe for our roads or that they’re safe to drive.
What Differentiates a Roadworthy Check From a Multi-point Inspection?
“Primarily, a roadworthy inspection evaluates the safety features of the cars as stipulated in the National Road Traffic Act and performance regulations,” says Pillay. “In contrast, a Multi-Point Inspection, while it does involve safety features, also includes quality products.” The air conditioning system of a car, for instance, wouldn’t be evaluated during a roadworthy assessment, but it would be during a Multi-Point Inspection.
Due to the large number of intricate working components found in modern automobiles, lorries, and sport utility vehicles, it is not unusual for drivers to be uninformed of certain underlying issues with their vehicles. It is important to perform a Multi-Point Inspection on a car just before you buy it or after you have owned it for several years. This will allow you to identify any problems before they become a threat to your own or other people’s safety. This inspection will consist of a thorough analysis of nearly all the components of your car. If you are aware of the state of a car, you will be able to identify any possible problems and take care of them before they result in unsafe breakdowns, costly maintenance, or a decrease in the asset’s worth.
This is done on a national level by several Car Testing Stations, and the VTA has just recently introduced the VTA Multi-Point Inspection, which will help customers as well as banks in determining the state of a specific car.
Advantages of Conducting a Comprehensive Inspection
To protect owners from the financial burden of being stuck with a defective asset that will require expensive maintenance in the future, a Multi-Point Inspection report provides data on the state of the asset and its elements, particularly at the point of purchase. Following this route has several really obvious advantages for drivers, including the following:
- Disclosure at the sale point regarding the condition a car is in at the time of purchase
- The assurance that comes from understanding that your car has successfully passed a valid inspection and now satisfies prerequisites for road safety
- Identifies any hidden flaws that may require expensive repairs in the future.
Service Plan
Ensure that all of the manufacturer-recommended services are performed on your vehicle by their guidelines to keep your vehicle legally on the road.
Maintenance Plan
This is more thorough than a Service Plan because it includes general wear and tear goods and some unannounced repair work in addition to all of the services that are included in the Service Plan.
Lengthened Warranty
Covers major, unforeseen malfunctions in both the electrical and mechanical components of the product.
Enhanced Safety and Emission levels Checks Before Driving Your Car
The majority of our provinces mandate that you get your car inspected for both safety and emissions before you get behind the wheel. Getting your car subjected to a multi-point inspection is the single most effective way to find out whether or not it will pass the emissions and safety test. You will have the opportunity to make any necessary repairs before submitting your vehicle to the inspection required by the government.
The More Knowledge, The Better
The more understanding you have, the more power you will have. For people who own cars, investing in an expert multi-point inspection could be an eye-opening experience. You will not just obtain all of the information that you require regarding your current or used car that you are on the verge of purchasing, but you will also be prepared to budget for and anticipate future routine maintenance. Your technician would be able to inform you what parts might wear out over the next few months and the amount it will cost to repair those parts at that time. All of this is very beneficial to individuals who don’t do anything more than check their oil and windshield washers once in a blue moon.
It Eliminates The Stress
The secret to a healthier and longer life is finding ways to minimize or eliminate stress when it’s possible to do so. After having a multi-point inspection performed, you will undoubtedly feel as though you can rest a little bit easier. If you don’t have these services, you might not even realize that your brake pads have worn down to the bare metal. Do not put off taking action until it is too late. If you keep driving your vehicle while it still has broken-down components, you run the risk of causing even more extensive and expensive damage to your vehicle. Using a multi-point inspection, one can learn about problems before they develop into something more severe.
The Security of Getting a Roadworthy Report
This point can’t be emphasized enough by us. Before you buy a used vehicle, you should invariably have it thoroughly inspected at several different points. Inspections can give you peace of mind that you’ll be protected before you hit the road, whether you’re getting one done to ensure that the secondhand car you’re going to buy is in excellent working order or you’re merely attempting to obtain the most from the car you already have. The answer to the question of whether or not you should buy the car you’ve been eyeing may depend on whether or not an authorized mechanic gives it a good health report.