Vehicle defects blamed for more than 1,500 crashes a year

Faulty brakes, tyres and steering contributed to 32 fatal crashes as well as hundreds of other serious incidents

Vehicle defects blamed for more than 1,500 crashes a year
Problems with tyres are the most common fault in fatal accidents.

Motorists are being urged to have their vehicle professionally checked at a garage more regularly as official figures put the total number of UK road traffic collisions caused by a vehicle defect at more than 1,500 every year.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that defects were listed as a contributory factor in a total of 1,539 accidents in 2017.

Of those, 259 were classed as serious, with a further 32 involving a fatality.

Faulty brakes were the most commonly identified problem, cited in 570 incidents, while illegal or under-inflated tyres were at least partly to blame in 472 crashes.

Problems with tyres were also the most common fault in fatal accidents, mentioned in 14 of the 32 cases.

Steering, suspension, lighting and mirror faults were also highlighted as contributing to more than 400 incidents in the last year.

The Road Traffic Act states that drivers can be fined up to £2,500 and given three penalty points if “the condition of a motor vehicle is such that its use involves a danger of injury to any person”.

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Home Page Forums Vehicle defects blamed for more than 1,500 crashes a year

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  • #178227 Reply

    Motorists are being urged to have their vehicle professionally checked at a garage more regularly as official figures put the total number of UK road
    [See the full post at: Vehicle defects blamed for more than 1,500 crashes a year]

    #178259 Reply
    Tim
    Guest

    Is it any wonder that steering and suspension components are causing accidents, just look at the state of the roads, every car journey could end up with a steering or suspension component being damaged. I took a journey last week that was approx 200 miles on A and B roads, by the time I got home my arms and shoulders were shot, and that is driving a van. It is about the time the roads are repaired before we start getting fatalities due to road condition ( POT HOLES ETC).

    #178260 Reply
    Steph Savill
    Guest

    When a vehicle with a proven defect causes an accident or fatality who is liable? Clearly circumstances will dictate whether it’s driver or dealer/garage neglect but it’s rare to read about specifc instances in the consumer press when perhaps this sort of communications might sharpen drivers’ awareness/knowledge of their responsibilities here. Just a thought.

    #178261 Reply
    Peter Miles
    Guest

    Think of the MOT test and customers reactions to it. The vehicle may well pass but with a list of advisory/minor items saying that, for instance, there is slight wear in a balljoint. All these simply get ignored because all the owner wants is a pass! Then add in the large number of vehicles that never get serviced, or in some cases never even MOT tested or taxed and this doesn’t surprise me at all. If anything I’m surprised the problem isn’t even larger!

    #178271 Reply
    Philip Dunmore
    Guest

    Above are all valid points. How many drivers have actually been fined for driving a private car in a dangerous condition? Is 3 points and £2500 sufficient punishment for endangering the public?

    #178272 Reply
    Philip Dunmore
    Guest

    Above are all valid points. How many drivers have actually been fined for driving a private car in a dangerous condition? Is 3 points and £2500 sufficient punishment/deterrent for endangering the public?

    #178273 Reply
    Steve Pilmoor
    Guest

    i had a car in to my garage to send for mot test, as i walked past it the off side front tyre caught my eye, it was so bald and wires hanging out, on closer inspection two other tyres were also badly worn, i asked the customer when the car would have come for tyres had it not been due test, the answer– never noticed, and she carries kids, i had no words, driver’s must learn to check things more often, yet another reason to keep the annual mot test

    #178274 Reply
    Marco
    Participant

    In this modern times in the UK I see more and more people stretching their budgets to get a car out of their payroll just to keep up with the trend. And when these high end vehicles require repairs they simply don’t have the funds to keep them safely on the road. I’ve seen some very nice expensive models wearing 4 different brand budget tyres. Says it all when you see the driver wearing a pair of £150 Nike trainers. 🙁

    #178945 Reply
    Steve
    Guest

    We try and encourage our customers to split there mot and service 6 months apart instead of the traditional mot and service deal then it gets looked at twice a year ,needed in a time when drivers can’t find the bonnet catch

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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