2.8 Alternative testing schemes

Alternative testing schemes provide for annual testing, bi-annual testing or evidence of servicing requirements as a requirement for registration. Tests may be provided at garages by licensed vehicle testers/examiners, industry developed facilities or government run testing stations.

The Committee investigated roadworthiness systems in Australia and New Zealand. Systems used in Jurisdictions it visited are outlined below.

2.8.1 New South Wales

The scheme operating in New South Wales is often cited as a point of comparison. The Committee is aware that New South Wales has different road conditions, traffic legislation and has had an annual compulsory inspection scheme since 1939.⁴³

The annual test required is a 'Safety Inspection Report' but it is commonly referred to as a 'Safety Check' or 'pink slip'.⁴⁴ An inspection report is required for all vehicles and is valid for a period of 28 days.⁴⁵

Inspections are not required until a vehicle is four years old.⁴⁶Inspection fees are prescribed. The fees are set on a sliding scale for the type of vehicle inspected. A light vehicle tested at an Authorised Testing Station costs $23.00 while a motorcycle test is $12.00. The fee of $23.00 also covers the motorist for a second inspection if the vehicle fails the first inspection.⁴⁷

A roadworthy inspection is required to register an unregistered vehicle, a vehicle from overseas or from interstate. This is conducted at an 'Authorised Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Station'. If the vehicle passes the inspection the Certificate called an 'Unregistered Vehicle Inspection Report' or commonly a 'blue slip' is issued.⁴⁸Fees for the vehicle examination and vehicle identity check are set down for each type of vehicle.

Vehicle inspections take approximately 25 minutes.⁴⁹Heavy vehicles are required to have an annual examination. Buses are examined every six months, taxis every four months.

There are 5,639 stations authorised to issue annual 'Safety Inspection Reports' and 12,693 authorised examiners work at those stations. The high number of stations is an outcome of the requirement of annual testing and a large geographic area. In 1999, 2.4 million 'pink slips' were issued for vehicle registration renewal.⁵⁰All authorised sites are visited twice per year and 10% are audited annually. A program of random audits where a full audit is conducted is also undertaken. Discussion evenings and information sessions provide information relevant for examiners and proprietors.⁵¹In New South Wales, 300 inspectors monitor and manage authorised inspection station schemes as well as heavy vehicle inspections and roadside enforcement. They do not inspect light vehicles. The cost of the inspection program in 1999 was $37m.⁵²

In a meeting with the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) in April 2000 the Committee was advised that even with a compulsory testing system:

The evidence shows that light vehicles average six defects per vehicle even straight after inspections.⁵³

The RTA advised the Committee of a crashed vehicle study it had conducted from 2,500 crashes. Of the 4,500 vehicles studied from the crashes, 40% of the defects were minor. However 20% of the defects could be classed as more serious.

The RTA pointed out that:

The numbers show that the rate of defects is far higher than one would expect from vehicles going through the regular inspection scheme.⁵⁴

The study also showed that defects for light vehicles rise with age. This did not surprise the Committee but it was the first piece of research that had supported this statement. Mr J. Holgate, Manager, Road Environment and Vehicle Safety, RTA, said:

The survey shows that as a vehicle gets older the number of defects increases. That is intuitive, but it is good to have some research base to show that the young vehicles have fewer than 2 defects per vehicle and the older ones have over 10 - that is, major and minor defects together.⁵⁵

Mr J. Brewer, Acting General Manager, Road Safety Strategy, RTA, concluded that:

Around 3 per cent of crashes appear to be primarily caused by defects. Certainly beyond that a defect could be a secondary cause as well - say a drunk driver plus a vehicle defect.⁵⁶

2.8.2 Australian Capital Territory

In a submission to the Committee, the Hon. B. Smyth, MLA, Minister for Urban Services, Australian Capital Territory stated:

The ACT implemented a shift from annual vehicle inspections to a predominantly random on-road system a number of years ago. A system that is working well to encourage owners and drivers to maintain their vehicles in a roadworthy condition throughout the year rather than just for the day of the annual inspection.⁵⁷

The ACT changes were brought about by changes to legislation, which resulted in a shift from annual inspections to the possibility of being inspected at any time. The ACT has introduced car park inspections as a part of these changes. The system is very different from Victoria's, however the Minister has emphasised the need to encourage owners to maintain their vehicles at all times. Vehicles are only 'roadworthy' the day they are tested. Heavy and commercial vehicles are tested three years from first registration and then every two years thereafter.

2.8.3 Queensland

In Queensland, light vehicles under 4.5 tonne are not required to have annual tests. Vehicles exceeding 4.5 tonnes are required to have annual inspections. Public passenger vehicles have tests twice per year.⁵⁸All vehicles when offered for sale must have a current 'Safety Certificate', which has replaced the former Roadworthiness Certificate.

If the vehicle does not have a 'Safety Certificate' it can only be sold unregistered. All Certificates are issued at Approved Inspection Stations. Mr G. Mahon, Queensland Transport advised the Committee:

I cannot deny that there is a consumer protection element with private sales and transfers, but it is still mostly about declaring that a vehicle is safe. Each year about 600,000 transfers occur in Queensland. We know that some of them are for the same vehicles two or three times over, but in principle about a third of the fleet is being inspected every year, supplemented by a random inspection program.⁵⁹

The Safety Certificate is valid for a private sale for 60 days or 1,000 kilometres or, in the case of a motor car trader, 90 days or 2,000 kilometres.⁶⁰

Queensland Transport gave reasons why they did not adopt annual inspections for light vehicles.

Firstly, we took the view that annual inspection alone did not stack up on a cost-benefit basis. That is because it subjected the majority of people to a cost that could be considered unnecessary when their performance could be quite good. That is essentially punishing the whole for the behaviour of a minority. The alternative we have taken is to pursue a random inspection process only for light vehicles, which is supported by a couple of other initiatives (Mr G. Mahon, Minutes of Evidence, 18 April 2000, p. 3).

Queensland Transport Inspectors may inspect all vehicle types. Currently 155 inspectors are employed.⁶¹ Inspections have found that problems occur with vehicles 4 to 12 years old. Inspections also use equipment similar to Victoria such as the 'truckalyser'. Queensland uses the equipment for comprehensive tests of all types of vehicles.⁶²

The Committee noted the use of a demerit points scheme for roadworthiness offences where the driver was aware of defects and drove the vehicle regardless of the possible consequences. The Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) offence is currently $240 and can be accompanied by one or three demerit points, depending on the severity of the defects and the driver's knowledge of them.⁶³

Queensland has been using mobile data access in enforcement vehicles since 1991. The system now allows direct access to vehicle history, registration and other information. One of the main advantages for the inspectors was the ability to conduct registration checks whilst on patrol.⁶⁴

The Committee met with officers from the Queensland Police Service who indicated the types of on-road programs that are conducted to detect unroadworthy vehicles. Acting Supt. Mansfield outlined one of the programs:

Operation Wobbly Wheels is a statewide operation that is run twice a year, normally before major holiday periods such as Easter and Christmas, with the intent that people will hopefully get their vehicles in good order before major holiday periods. The committee will note that the return from the last operation we ran in March lists 1081 tickets issued, 1028 repair orders, and 101 vehicles ordered off the road. In the far right-hand corner the document lists the total number of vehicles that were stopped as 37, 998.⁶⁵

2.8.4 New Zealand

The Committee of the 53^rd Parliament visited New Zealand in 1999 and inspected the roadworthiness system. The Committee met with a variety of industry, motoring and government representatives, including the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA) who manages road safety in New Zealand.

Light vehicles with gross laden weight under 3,500kg are required to receive a Warrant of Fitness (WoF) every 12 months as a requirement for licensing until the vehicle is six years old, provided it has not been used in another country and is first registered in New Zealand. Vehicles six years of age and older and all other vehicles are tested every six months.⁶⁶Heavy vehicles with a gross laden weight of more than 3,501kg are required to receive a Certificate of Vehicle Inspection (CoF) every six months.⁶⁷Management of the WoF system is out-sourced by the LTSA. Currently the system is managed by Motor-Safe, which tests new applicants, inspects qualifications and premises, and issues the necessary documentation. It can consider complaints and may recommend to the LTSA that a tester's licence be cancelled.⁶⁸The LTSA has 3,500 WoF agents across New Zealand.⁶⁹The heavy vehicle (CoF) inspection system is also out-sourced. Currently two agencies, Vehicle Testing New Zealand (VTNZ) and Vehicle Identification New Zealand (VINZ), inspect and issue approvals. Because of the high set-up costs, such as inspection pit and brake roller testing equipment, no new applications were being received at the time of the Committee's visit.

The performance and the hearing of any complaints against any of these agencies are undertaken by the LTSA. The New Zealand Police conduct on-road inspections and, if warranted, heavy vehicles are referred for inspection and clearance of defect notices.

Mr S. Whiteley, from the LTSA, said that the periodic inspection system was costing the New Zealand economy about $100m a year.⁷⁰