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Van detected by DGT cameras F. P.
Why Vans Are the Vehicles in the Worst Condition When Passing the MOT

Why Vans Are the Vehicles in the Worst Condition When Passing the MOT

Canal Motor

Jueves, 16 de enero 2025, 11:20

Recent accident statistics published by the DGT reveal a concerning reality about road safety in our country. However, there is one type of vehicle that should raise alarms due to its high accident rate: vans.

According to the DGT, the main causes of accidents are distractions while driving, often due to mobile phone use, adjusting the sound system, eating, or drinking while driving. Speed is also a key factor in the severity of accidents. Driving at speeds above the limit or unsuitable for road conditions significantly increases the risk of an accident.

Equally important is the impact of vehicle maintenance deficiencies. A poorly maintained vehicle, with worn tires or faulty brakes, can increase the risk of an accident.

Official data indicates that the number of fatalities on interurban roads involving vans in 2024 reached the highest in history, with 79 victims, a 98% increase, or 39 more victims than the previous year. Additionally, the number of injured also rose in 2024, with hospitalised van passengers increasing from 138 in 2023 to 190 in 2024.

Relationship Between MOT and Vehicle Safety

These figures, according to the Spanish Association of Collaborating Entities of the Administration in Vehicle Technical Inspection (AECA-ITV), demonstrate the link between the accident rate of a vehicle type and its technical inspection. Last year, vans were also the most frequently rejected vehicles due to unfavourable MOT results at stations across the country. The rise of e-commerce and last-mile delivery has significantly increased the use of these vehicles, thus raising their risk of road accidents.

"These figures are no coincidence," highlights Guillermo Magaz, managing director of AECA-ITV, who asserts that "the increased use of these vehicles due to e-commerce and their inadequate maintenance is directly linked to their safety. It is no surprise that vans arrived in the worst condition at MOT stations last year," adds Magaz.

According to data published by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism (MINTUR) on vehicle inspections conducted in the country in 2023, the last year on record, vans and trucks over 3,500 kg are in the worst condition, as they have the most unfavourable MOT results; in fact, 28.8% of them fail the MOT on the first attempt.

The main defects detected in vans include brake issues, accounting for 26.8% of all detected faults. Lighting and signalling defects come second, representing 20%, followed by exterior conditioning, bodywork, and chassis faults at 13.1%.

Although it may seem like a joke, some vehicles attempted to pass the inspection with tires about to burst, engine and body parts precariously held together, without brake pads or discs, with garden chairs instead of approved seats, and even with a wooden pedal.

Among the collected photographs is one of a truck that arrived at an MOT station with an iron chair in the passenger seat. This is how it was circulating.

Interior Conditioning Defects

This case involves a serious defect in the interior conditioning section, a part of the vehicle that is crucial not only from an aesthetic perspective but also for the safety of the driver and passengers.

This seat was found inside a truck F. P.

The seats, along with the seatbelt and airbag, are responsible for keeping the occupants' bodies secure and absorbing and transmitting much of the impact energy through their anchors. According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, 4% of all serious defects detected at Spanish MOT stations relate to interior conditioning.

In another photograph published by AECA-ITV, a clutch pedal transformed with a wooden board can be seen. This endangers driving safety, as pedals are designed to prevent the foot from slipping and not interfering, physically and functionally, with other vehicle elements, potentially causing road accidents by "failing" when pressing the pedal.

In this vehicle, the clutch pedal was replaced with a wooden board AECA-ITV

In this case, due to the modification, it cannot be ensured that it maintains its proper function, which could affect the gearbox when engaging different gears or even the brake pedal.

Brake Defects

Inspectors also photographed a vehicle that arrived at an MOT station without a brake disc, as well as another with a cut brake hose.

Attempted to pass the MOT without a brake disc F. P.

Regarding brake discs, it is important to remember that they are used to ensure the reduction of speed of each vehicle wheel until it stops. This is due to the friction created when the brake pads and calipers trap the disc when the pedal is pressed. Hence the severity of not having a brake disc. Meanwhile, a brake hose rupture causes brake fluid loss, rendering the system inoperative.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, the brake section accounts for 12% of serious defects detected at MOTs each year.

In addition to these images, others have been presented showing serious defects in identification, steering, engine, emissions, and lighting and signalling, among others.

Defects found in one of the tyres F. P.

"With these photographs, we aim to raise awareness among drivers about the importance of technical inspections, as passing the MOT is not merely a formality but a social responsibility. Driving a vehicle that does not meet safety standards can pose a danger not only to those inside but also to other road users," emphasised Guillermo Magaz, managing director of AECA-ITV.

When Should You Pass the MOT?

The first inspection for a car occurs four years after registration. Until the first 10 years, it is conducted every two years; finally, when it is over 10 years old, it must be done annually.

There are some exceptions: even if the vehicle has not reached four years, if it has undergone a modification or replacement of elements before or after registration that alters the characteristics on the MOT card or defined safety conditions, it must undergo a reform inspection. Also, if the car has suffered significant damage in an accident.

The inspection result can be favourable or unfavourable with minor defects. It allows the vehicle to circulate normally until the inspection expires again. If the inspection is favourable with minor defects, the vehicle owner must correct them but is not obliged to return to the station to verify the correction of these defects.

Unfavourable. If serious defects are detected in the vehicle, the owner is obliged to repair it and return to the MOT station where the first inspection was conducted within two months to verify the correction of these defects.

Or negative. If very serious defects are diagnosed, the inspection is considered negative, and the vehicle is not authorised to leave the MOT station under its own power but must be transported by a tow truck to the repair site and return to verify the correction of the defects.

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