Vans Become More Dangerous As Companies Suffer

Saturday, 21. August 2010

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According to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) around half of vans on UK roads fail spot safety checks suggesting that van fleets are wilfully disregarding mechanical defects and ignoring the need for regular maintenance checks. Their findings show that van fleet offences now exceed those of HGV’s and PSV’s. More than half of the 21,000 vans checked last year uncovered mechanical defects compared to 24% of HGV’s and 15% of PSV’s with the most common defect being brake related. In addition 45% of vans fail their MOT testcompared to 34% HGV’s and 24% PSV’s. Rounding the bad news off Graham Owen, VOSA area manager said ‘Vans have the worst roadside mechanical prohibition rate and the worst annual test rate. It suggests these vehicles are not being subjected to proper maintenance throughout the year.’ Employers were warned that they would be held responsible if the lack of maintenance caused an accident and could end up with a prison sentence if the accident resulted in a fatality. My advice – steer clear of maniac white van drivers – oh you do anyway! Got a view on this? Let me know? By Graham Hill