Important Vehicle Safety Inspections You Should Never Ignore

Vehicle inspections are a crucial aspect of vehicle maintenance and ownership. Regular safety inspections can detect potentially dangerous defects and issues before vehicles get on the road.

Your car is one of your biggest investments, yet quite often, you take a passive approach when it comes to car maintenance. Unfortunately, motor vehicle incidents are responsible for an incredible number of deaths across Australia. One way to reduce your risk is by completing regular vehicle inspections so you can ensure your vehicle is safe, in perfect working order, and fit for use every day.

In Australia, for example, vehicle inspection rules are different in every state. In some states, a vehicle inspection is compulsory or required by law. In other states, people opt for voluntary car inspections for safety, peace of mind, or even to assess the condition of their car before warranty expires. The certifications are known by different names across states like – Roadworthy, RWCs, safety certificates, e-safety checks, pink slips, and blue slips. All these certifications serve the same purpose – ensuring safety of everyone by maintaining optimum roadworthiness for every vehicle on the road.

There are several rules and regulations to be followed from safety standpoint while purchasing a new or used vehicle in any part of Australia. Roadworthy safety certifications are a proof that a vehicle has been inspected once sold and is hence safe to be on the road. You will need a safety certificate when you try to sell a registered vehicle or if you need to transfer registration, to register an unregistered car, or in case of registration transfer from one state to another.

Important Vehicle Inspections  

A typical vehicle inspection involves a qualified mechanic visually checking over a vehicle with particular attention to its safety and road worthiness.  A thorough and systematic, point-to-point check of the major aspects of your car’s structure and operations are assessed. Any unsafe areas or parts needing replacement are identified and recorded in a certificate or report.

Licensed and trusted vehicle service centres will provide a comprehensive vehicle check report covering all areas of your vehicle from top to toe.

Common items that a complete car inspection usually checks are:

1. Fluid checks – where all aspects of fluid are checked including leaks in oil or fluid, transmission fluid, brake fluid, coolant, windshield and wiper fluid
2. Tyre check – which includes pressure check, tread check, and checking the age of tyres. Some inspections include adjustment of tyre pressure and tyre rotation too.
3. Brake inspection – assessing the performance of brakes on the car
4. Inspection of hoses and belts – usually involves identifying wear or cracks in hoses and belts, if any
5. Identifying Battery Issues
6. Filter check – inspection of engine and cabin air filters
7. Inspection of interior and exterior lights of the vehicle
8. Identifying if there have been any illegal modifications to the vehicle
9. General condition issues like damage, dents, cracks

The purpose of an inspection is not necessarily to solve problems, but rather to diagnose if there are problem areas that need further attention. If needed, more specialised mechanic work to repair the faults must be performed following the inspection.

Once your vehicle has passed the roadworthy vehicle inspection, you will receive the certificate of roadworthiness from your licensed vehicle tester that conducted the inspection. The certificate does not legally require to be visible within the car at all times, but you must be able to produce it if the police stop you or if you are trying to sell the vehicle.

Never skip car inspections to avoid disasters in the long run. To prolong car life, choose high quality tyres, brakes, wiper blades from AdWipers, windscreen, seats, etc.