AUTOFORE Study on the Future Options for Roadworthiness Enforcement in the European Union

Transcription

1 AUTOFORE WP540 - Analysis of pass/fail rates and accidents for different vehicle types in relation to PTI - frequency and vehicle age Contents 1 Introduction Literature Research Pass / fail rates and accidents for different vehicle types in relation to PTI and vehicle age M1/N1 Vehicles Accidents Technical defects Environmentally - relevant defects Summary Motorcycles Accidents Technical defects Environmentally-relevant defects Summary N2 Vehicles Accidents Technical defects Environmentally-relevant defects Summary N3 Vehicles Accidents Technical defects Environment relevant defects Summary Comparisons with chosen EC - Member States and statements on the interdependence of failure rates and inspection periods United Kingdom Sweden Germany: Inspection periods Conclusion...47 Page 1 of 47

2 1 Introduction One of the targets of the AUTOFORE-Project is to recommend possible changes in legislation 96/96/EC for example regarding to inspection of new vehicle categories which today are not inspect, modifications in periodicity or new test contents. To get the basis for this, the task in WP540 is to cover the pass/fail rates and accident research for different vehicle types in relation to PTI frequency and vehicle age to find statements for changing in EU-legislation. With the study of the questionnaires in WP200 and other literature it is very difficult to get conclusive information. Only the outcome of the analysis by governmentalquestionnaires delievers a small part. Also there are a lot of studies, but the most of them had been published years ago in non EU-member states (for example in Australia and USA). New information about European countries exist only in internal researches by PTIorgansiations or authorities. Page 2 of 47

3 2 Literature Research A very comprehensive study by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (Australia) compares the results of important studies to the title The effect of vehicle roadworthiness on crash incidence and severity. There was significant variation in study findings regarding the role of vehicle defects in accident causation and the effectiveness of Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspections (PMVI) programs in reducing defects and accidents regarding to vehicle age. Overall, it would appear that vehicle defects are a contributing factor in over 6% of accidents. The effects of Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspection programs (PMVIs) on vehicle defects and accidents in general, the prevalence of defects in the vehicle fleet has been found to be lower in jurisdictions with PMVI (up to 16%). Comparisons of inspected cars and noninspected cars in the same jurisdictions suggest a drop in accident rates for the former. Studies that have compared accident rates before and after the introduction of PMVI have generally shown decreases in injury accident rates. Rompe and Seul (1985) noted that inspection programs may also influence and reduce accidents by increasing drivers understanding of the need for regular maintenance, of safety issues and of the condition of their own car. Contribution of defects to accidents Studies of crashed vehicles have shown that defects contribute directly or substantially from around 3% to 19%, with the more robust studies indicating at least 6%. Common defects identified relate to brakes and tyres. Many safety-related defects are found in crashed vehicles that did not contribute to the crash. There is some evidence that defects may contribute more to motorcycle accidents than to car accidents. Vehicle age Various studies have shown that older vehicles are over-represented in serious injury accidents. In Australia, Haworth et al. (1997a) determined the odds of being involved in a fatal single vehicle accident were 2.5 times greater for a driver of a pre-1978 vehicle than a newer vehicle. It is unclear in this study, and in many other studies that have examined vehicle age, to what extent this is due to some effect of deterioration with vehicle age versus improvements in crashworthiness of modern vehicles. Methodological problems with the studies There are methodological and statistical shortcomings in many of the studies. Defects are often under-reported and assessments of defects in crashed vehicles are difficult. The expertise and level of investigation are also factors affecting the determination of defects and their contribution to crashes. Measurements of the effects of inspection programs on crash rates have encountered difficulties in isolating the PMVI effects from those effects resulting from other major safety-related programs, other changes in vehicle fleets and differences between jurisdictions. These problems would suggest an under-reporting of the effects of defects on crashes Page 3 of 47

4 The effect of PMVI One method of determining the effect of roadworthiness on crash incidence is to examine the effect of periodic motor vehicle inspection programs on accident rates. The aim of PMVI is to eliminate defects from the vehicle fleet by inspecting all vehicles on a regular basis and ensuring that any detected defects are repaired before allowing the car to drive on public roads. If periodic inspection does reduce defects in the vehicle fleet, then studies that demonstrate that PMVI reduces crash rates may indicate that a reduction in vehicle defects is reducing crash rates. It is important to note that PMVI may have other effects which cause the differences observed, such as promoting the number of newer vehicles on the road which may improve the crashworthiness of the vehicle fleet. Summary of numerical findings of different studies The following tables provide a summary of change in accident rate as a result of PMVI, the effect of PMVI on vehicle defects and the proportions of crashed vehicles with defects that either played a significant causal role or a contributory role in the accident. Table 1: Percentage reduction in accident rates following the introduction of PMVI, or between jurisdictions with PMVI and those without. Table 1 shows that the effect of PMVI on accident rates ranged from no effect to decreasing the accident rate by up to 16%, and by up to 21% if inspection is regular. Rompe & Seul in citing US studies, suggest that PMVI could reduce accidents caused by vehicle defects by about 50%. Page 4 of 47

5 From table 2 it can be seen that a range of between 1.3% and 24% of crashed vehicles had a defect that played a significant causal role in the crash. Based on studies that carried out in-depth inspection and crash investigations (McLean, 1979: Treat, 1977), defects play a significant causal role in 2.9% to 4.5% of car crashes. Table 2: Percentages of crashed vehicles with defects that played a significant causal role in the accident The analysis by the Governmental Bodies (GOV) - questionnaires shows following statements: According the opinion of experts in 40,9% do current and future roadworthiness objectives incorporate accident reduction, emssion reduction, and vehicle breakdown reduction goals. In 4,5% no, in 22,7% not known, 36,8% no answer (diagram 1). Do Current/Future Objectives Fulfil Goals Set Out? Yes No Not Known no answer Diagram 1 Page 5 of 47

6 If Yes were answerd to the question Do current/future objectives fulfil goals set out then this following table shows the distribution: Model Percent min Percent max Expert opinon YES Studies YES Current RWT Lowered No Of Accidents By ,7 0 Future RWT Should Lower No Of Accidents By ,3 0 Current RWT Lowered No Of Break Downs By ,6 0 Future RWT Should Lower No Of Break Downs By ,2 0 Current RWT Have Lowered Vehicle Emissions By ,7 0 Future RWT Should Lower Vehicle Emissions By ,2 0 Table 3 Comments by the filling persons of the GOV-questionnaires: There are not specific studies concerning the direct relation between PTI and the mentioned goals, due to long history of testing it is not easily recognized comparison information. It is assumed, that periodic inspection and road side inspection keep vehicle defect related accidents and emissions as low as possible. Other specific answers do not exist in the questionnaires. Because the missing information and to use up-to-date information it was decided to evaluate a study by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany in collaboration with different PTI-organisations and other responsible associations. This study was created in 2002 and reflects the european situation. Page 6 of 47

7 3 Pass / fail rates and accidents for different vehicle types in relation to PTI and vehicle age The Federal Republic of Germany commissioned representatives of supervisory bodies, associations of the automobile industry and automobile clubs and the automotive trade to make proposals on changes to the inspection periods as part of a "Redesign of the periodical technical motor vehicle inspection These changes are intended to improve the technical condition of the vehicles on the roads, in particular older vehicles and vehicles which are not yet subject to compulsory inspection. The proposals are to be used to increase road safety, prevent accidents and also to increase the environmentally-friendliness of older vehicles. Today, new vehicles are very safe and have become highly environmentally-friendly in the last years with regard to emissions. The safety and environmentally-friendliness should be kept at as high a level as possible in spite of wear, aging and damage during the entire service life of the vehicle when in use on the road. For this purpose, the vehicles must be maintained regularly, subjected to technical inspections and faults must be repaired. The technical condition of all types of vehicles decreases significantly as the vehicle ages from the day they are first licensed until they are scrapped. Connection between vehicle age and technical defects The condition of cars and light commercial vehicles (N1) 8 years old and older is particularly bad. Even one day before the current prescribed general inspection, 3 of 4 of these older cars and 9 of 10 of these light commercial vehicles (N1) on our roads have significant environmental and safety-related faults. The older the vehicles, the greater the likelihood that unapproved technical changes have been made, to the detriment of road safety, which are then discovered in the technical inspection. And, although the technical condition of the vehicles becomes worse as the vehicles become older, less money is spent maintaining and repairing older vehicles. The older the vehicles, the more likely that they are repaired by the owners or with the assistance of acquaintances. The same applies to repairs after accidents. Remaining faults are not found until the next general inspection or possibly until the accident reports commissioned by courts or prosecutors after accidents. Connection between vehicle age and accident frequency Accident experts found that technical defects affected accidents in every 10th vehicle. If the vehicle age is incorporated, the relative frequency of accidents caused by technical defects increases 5 year old compared with 3 year old vehicles as the vehicle ages. This is reflected in the accident statistics. Twice as many cars over 8 years old are involved in accidents due to technical defects as newer cars. Even if we compare accidents per kilometre travelled, older cars are involved in twice as many accidents as newer vehicles. This emphasises the abovementioned connection between the age of the vehicle and the rise in the number of accidents due to technical defects. Moreover, older cars cause far more fatal accidents per licensed vehicle than newer cars. These vehicles are involved in significantly more accidents in the second year after the periodic motor vehicle inspection than in the first year after the inspection. The report Page 7 of 47

8 finds that an annual technical inspection must be introduced for older vehicles after the eighth year of licensing to reduce the number of accidents caused by technical defects in cars and light commercial vehicles. This is due to the fact that the technical condition of the older vehicles on the roads in the second year after the general inspection has become considerably worse in the last five years ( ). The number of severe accidents caused by category L vehicles (light motorcycles) is 1.6x greater than that caused by vehicles in the motorbike category and 2.5x greater than that for cars. Due to the large numbers - approximately 1.6 million light motorcycles which are not subject to periodic inspection, this vehicle class represents a serious risk as a result of poor technical condition due to a lack of maintenance, especially for the drivers themselves. On the basis of the high accident and injury risk of category L light motorcycles and the above average rate of accidents caused by technical defects, these vehicle categories should be subject to technical inspection. 3.1 M1/N1 Vehicles Accidents Accident statistics show that in recent years, as traffic increased, the number of accidents has also increased steadily. It can also be observed that a series of measures since the beginning of the 70s has led to a lasting reduction in severe accidents. An example of these measures is the introduction of compulsory wearing of seatbelts. Thus, in the last 25 years, the number of persons killed in traffic accidents has been halved (Figure 1). This was made possible in particular by passive vehicle safety measures, i.e. measures to protect passengers and pedestrians during accidents. Development of Vehicle Population, Accidents and Fatalities Caused by Road Traffic Number of Accidents, Injuries Accidents Injuries Fatalities Fatalities Source: Federal Statistical Office Germany Figure 1 Page 8 of 47

9 However, older cars still cause significantly more accidents per kilometre travelled than newer cars. A study by the German insurance company association (GDV) entitled Vehicle Safety 1990 clearly shows that older cars (8 years and older) and their drivers are the cause of roughly twice as many accidents as newer cars, relative to the distance travelled. This figure is even clearer when we look at single car accidents, i.e. accidents where no other cars are involved. Here, the number is triple that of newer cars (Figure 2). Accidents per 1000 Passenger Vehicles and 1 Million Kilometers by Origin 500 Vehicle / Vehicle Accident Single Vehicle Accident Accidents over 10 Vehicle Age Source: HUK-Verband, FzSicherheit 1990, Germany Figure 2 This applies similarly to road accidents with injuries to people. According to a study of the German federal highway research institute, older cars are involved in significantly more accidents (per 1000 licensed vehicles) than newer cars. Passenger Car Accidents Originators with Injuries by Vehicle Age (Vehicle Age < 2 Years Equivalent to 100%) 180% 174% Accidents 160% 140% 148% 120% 116% 100% 100% 98% 102% 80% over 10 Vehicle Age Source: BAST-M , KBA-Statistics, Germany Figure 3 Page 9 of 47

10 Older cars (per 1000 licensed vehicles) were the cause of a far greater proportion of fatal accidents compared with newer cars (Figure 3, 4). The increase in accidents caused by a car as it gets older approximates the age-related increase of the number of faults found in cars during the periodic motor vehicle inspection (Figure 9). Originator of Passenger Car Accidents with Fatalities by Vehicle Age (vehicle age = 2 years equivalent to 100%) 187% 180% 160% Accidents 140% 148% 120% 100% 100% 92% 104% 110% 80% over 10 Vehicle Age Source: BAST-M , KBA-Statistics, Germany Figure 4 Page 10 of 47

11 A study by the Medical College of Hanover in 1996, which only examined severe accidents involving injuries to persons, found that the number of accidents caused by technical faults is 80% higher for older than newer cars (figure 5). Although only technical defects which were immediately visible without a periodic motor vehicle inspection of the vehicle involved in the accident were incorporated in the study, 7 to 10 year-old cars accounted for 3.2% of the accidents involving injuries caused by a technical fault. Rate of Technical Defects of Passanger Cars as Accident Cause for Accidents with Injuries by Vehicle Age 180,0% 180,0% 160,0% Rate % 140,0% 120,0% 100,0% 106,0% 100,0% Vehicle Age Source: MedicalUniversity Hannover, Germany Figure 5 From 1996 to 2000, 5000 cars involved in severe accidents were examined as part of accident analyses. Of the major defects found, approximately one third were assessed as accident causing, partially accident-causing or accident promoting, and thus as accidentrelevant (figure 6). After Accidents detected Failures Germany ,2% 35,8% Without Defects With Severe Defects Passenger Cars with Severe defects 30% Accidents Relevant Defects Source: DEKRA Accident Research Center, Analysis , Germany Figure 6 The accident analysts found that the risk potential of older cars is significantly higher than that of newer cars. For example 16.8% of cars less than 3 years old involved in Page 11 of 47

12 accidents had severe defects, while over 50% of cars older than 8 years had severe defects (figure 7). 75% After Accidents Inspected Passenger Cars with Severe Defects 65,2% 54,2% 52,3% Failure Rate % 50% 28,6% 38,3% 45,6% 25% 16,8% 0% over 11 Vehicle Age Source: DEKRA Accident Research Center, Analysis , Germany Figure 7 To illustrate the risk potential, the accident analysts started set the defect occurrence in cars up to 3 years old as a unit, and compared the other age classes with the newest cars age class. This reveals that the number of defects causing accidents found after accidents increases dramatically as cars get older (figure 8). Relative Frequency for Accident Causing Defects by Vehicle Age 5 4 Relative Frequency over 11 Vehicle Age Source: DEKRA Accident Research Center, Analyse , Germany Figure 8 To show the actual influence of periodic technical inspection of vehicles on accidents, and thus to demonstrate the effectiveness of this instrument on road safety, accident frequency and the presence of accident-relevant defects in cars were examined specifically. A critical factor in this was the 2 year period between the prescribed periodic motor vehicle inspections for cars. Page 12 of 47

13 The study showed that the accident frequency of vehicles with accident-relevant defects increases significantly the longer the period after the last periodic motor vehicle inspection. The percentage of cars with accident-relevant defects increases by 41% twelve months after the last periodic motor vehicle inspection (figure 9). 1,8 Relative Frequency (of Passenger Cars with Accidents Relevant Defects) 1,6 Relative Frequency 1,4 1,2 1,0 New PTI Certificate 0, Time Offset to the Last PTI in Months Exceeded PTI Frequency Source: DEKRA Accident Research Center Analysis , Germany Figure Technical defects The evaluation of statistics of the German Federal Bureau of Motor Vehicles and Drivers, KBA, on the results of the periodic motor vehicle inspections shows that the percentage of vehicles with defects related to road safety increases significantly as the car ages (figure 10). Passenger Cars with Defects (Severe and Out of Service) Detected During a PTI 30% 28,4% 26,2% 22,0% Failure Rate % 20% 10% 6,7% 11,3% 16,9% 0% over 9 Vehicle Age Source: KBA-Statistics 2001, Germany Figure 10 Although technology has developed rapidly in recent years, this has only marginally reduced the number of defects of old cars in periodic motor vehicle inspections. Thus, the Page 13 of 47

14 number of severe defects in older cars has been largely unchanged in the last 5 years also in the KBA statistics. PTI-Significant Defects (Severe and Out of Service) at Passenger Cars > 7 Years 30% 26,9% 26,8% 27,0% 26,6% 24,1% 26,0% 26,2% Failure Rate % 20% 10% 0% Year Source: KBA-Statistics 2001, Germany Figure 11 However, even the official figures of the KBA statistics on periodic motor vehicle inspections do not paint a realistic picture of the condition of older vehicles still on our roads, as cars are normally specially prepared for periodic motor vehicle inspections. For this reason, the German inspection organisations carried out an additional survey as part of the periodic motor vehicle inspection. In 1996, 12,200 vehicles were inspected, and in April ,500 vehicles were inspected and evaluated with logistical assistance from KPMG Germany. This survey recorded extra data in addition to the data from the periodic motor vehicle inspections, and specific details on the behaviour of the vehicle owner were surveyed (e.g. expenditure on maintenance). The number of severe defects found per vehicle was recorded separately, and prepared and unprepared vehicles were distinguished. The results of this survey revealed defect levels significantly greater than the official values in the KBA statistics. This is due to the fact that as part of the survey, cars which were not prepared and repaired for the periodic motor vehicle inspection by garages were recorded in particular, to gain an impression of the actual condition of the cars on the roads. In 2001, severe defects were found in two thirds (65.8%) of unprepared 8 year old cars (and 89% for 17 year old cars). If these defects figures are compared with the 1996 results (> 55% severe defects), we see that the technical condition of new vehicles has improved slightly, while the technical condition of the older cars on the roads has become significantly worse. This is due to the poor maintenance and repair behaviour of owners of older vehicles. It should not be assumed that this trend will reverse without regulatory intervention (figure 12). Page 14 of 47

15 Failure Rate % 100% 75% 50% 25% Unprepared Passenger Cars with Defects (Severe and Out of Service) Detected During a PTI 28% 28% % 36% 41% 54% 76,2% 55% 66% 61% 75% 70% 80% 86% 89% 85% 0% from 18 Vehicle Age Source: Sondererhebung II.Quartal 2001, UAG Untersuchungsfristen, Germany Figure Environmentally - relevant defects The environmentally-relevant defects found in the periodic motor vehicle inspection, e.g. noise, oil leaks etc. have a similar pattern to the road-safety relevant defects as regards the age dependence. Thus, the number of defects found in cars over 8 years old is many times that of cars less than 3 years old (figure 13). 30% Passenger Cars with Environmental Relevant Defects during PTI 29,7% 26,7% Failure Rate % 20% 13,6% 20,3% 10% 8,8% 4,1% 0% over 9 Vehicle Age Source: KBA-Statistik 2001, Germany Figure Summary Older cars ( 8 years) are involved in twice as many accidents relative to the distance travelled compared with newer cars, The number of accidents involving injuries and fatalities relative to the number of vehicles is 70% to 80% greater for cars older than 10 years, compared with 4 to 6 year old cars, Page 15 of 47

16 Technical defects cause approximately twice as many accidents involving older cars ( 8 years) as new cars, Accident studies have shown that every second older car ( 8 years) has technical defects and that the risk of accidents as a result of technical defects increases with the time from the last periodic motor vehicle inspection, In periodic motor vehicle inspections, older cars ( 8 years) have three times more defects than 3 year old cars. Unprepared cars inspected had an actual defect percentage of 65 to 90% for older cars ( 8 years) and 88% to 93% for class N1 vehicles ( 8 years), Do-it-yourself repairs and maintenance are five times more common for older cars than for newer cars, Currently, there are between 0.8 and 2.5 million cars on the roads in Germany old cars in particular on which severe accident damage was repaired by the owners themselves Almost 9% of cars and almost 11% of N1 vehicles between 8 and 9 years old have been modified technically without approval, This rate increases to over 20% in older cars, 8 member states of the EU have already introduced annual inspection of older cars, 90% of the readers of the German Auto-Bild magazine are in favour of shorter inspection periods to improve the road safety of older cars (survey dated 21/03/1997). The existing statistical material clearly shows that the technical condition of class M1 and N1 vehicles, the repair and maintenance behaviour of the vehicle owners and unapproved technical modifications to vehicles directly influence the frequency and seriousness of accidents caused by these vehicles or in which they are involved. Older cars are often not repaired or not repaired properly after accidents. As they are involved in traffic accidents significantly more often than newer cars, this leads to a large number of cars on the roads with insufficient accident repairs. This damage is not detected and repaired until the next periodic motor vehicle inspection. The condition of class M1 and N1 vehicles on the roads deteriorates dramatically with increasing age, thus making them a greater risk than newer vehicles. In many EC member states, and in some Eastern European countries, annual inspections are prescribed for older cars to increase road safety and reduce environmental pollution. Estimation of the possibility of preventing accidents and possible cost savings Every year there are approximately 2 million accidents in Germany involving cars. Of these, between approx. 50,000 (BASt study 1986) and approx. 180,000 (DEKRA accident research 2000) are due to technical defects. According to the BASt study and the GDV study of 1999, 70% of these accidents are caused by cars older than 7 years. Due to the progressive development of defects, that makes between approx. 35,000 and approx. 95,000 accidents which are caused by defects in the second year after the periodic motor vehicle inspection. If these faults were repaired at annual periodic motor vehicle inspections, between approx. 20,000 and approx. 75,000 accidents would be prevented (figure 14). Page 16 of 47

17 Dynamic PTI-Frequency: Potential of Accident Avoidance Rate Number of Accidents Accidents with Passanger Cars Thereof Caused by Technical Defects BASt 1986 (a): DEKRA Accident Research (b): 2,5% 9,1% (a) (a) Thereof Caused by Cars > 7 Years Thereof Caused in Second Year after PTI BASt Study GDV Study 1999 Progessive Defect Development 70,0% 75,0% (a) (a) (a) (a) Thereof Avoidable with Adittional Annual Inspection DEKRA Accident Research ,0% (a) (a) Figure 14 The introduction of an annual periodic motor vehicle inspection for older cars could prevent approx. 42% of accidents caused by technical defects in cars (figure 15,16). Accidents with Passenger Cars Caused by Technical Defects per Year all avoidable With Introduction of Annual Inspection for Passanger Cars > 8 Years Figure 15 Page 17 of 47

18 Accidents with Passenger Cars Caused by Technical Defects per Year Macroeconomic Damage 703 Mill Mill. Avoidable 358 Mill Mill. With Introduction of Annual Inspection for Passanger Cars > 8 Years Figure 16 By introducing an annual periodic motor vehicle inspection for older cars, between 42 and 154 fatalities can be prevented and between 3,218 and 11,712 injuries avoided (figure 17, 18). Accidents with Passenger Cars Caused by Technical Defects per Year Thereby Killed Person All Avoidable With Introduction of Annual Inspection for Passanger Cars > 8 Years Figure 17 Page 18 of 47

19 Accidents with Passenger Cars Caused by Technical Defects per Year Thereby Injuries All Avoidable With Introduction of Annual Inspection for Passanger Cars > 8 Years Figure 18 In order to restrict the risk potential described above and to identify accident damage to older class M1 and N1 vehicles at an earlier stage, it was recommended that annual technical motor vehicle inspections be made compulsory from the eighth year after the initial licensing for these vehicle categories as a result of this study. This recommendation was supported by the estimation of the cost-benefit ratio. The dynamisation of inspection periods would lead to annual cost savings of between 0.36 and 1.30 billion as a result of accident prevention. This contrasts with the costs of additional general inspections for older vehicles of 0.23 billion. Additional non-monetary benefits include: Over 50% of young starter drivers, who make up approx. 40% of the main causes of accidents involving injuries and 23% of all road deaths, have accidents in older vehicles with a proven high rate of safety-related defects (Langwieder 1988). For this risk group in particular there are currently no effective protection measures. High defect rates in older cars and N1 vehicles pollute the environment with excessive emission of harmful substances and noise, oil leaks etc. Annual inspection of older vehicles results in a significant increase in safety, both on the road and for the environment. The situation is even more drastic in commercial vehicles in this category (N1). In the initial years, the fault development is similar to that of cars, however from the eighth year, it levels off at a constantly high level (figure 19). Page 19 of 47

20 100% Unprepared Ligth Trucks with Severe Defects during PTI 93,3% 90,7% 87,9% 88,6% 89,5% 88,2% 87,5% 75% 63,5% Failure Rate % 50% 33,3% 52,2% 25% 0% from 18 Vehicle Age Source: Sondererhebung II.Quartal 2001, UAG Untersuchungsfristen, Germany Figure 19 Besides the result of the periodic technical motor vehicle inspection, another important aspect is the number of defects found in the vehicle, as every fault can endanger other traffic in its own right. The results of the special survey revealed the following situation: All cars under 3 years old in which defects were found, and which was not specially prepared for the periodic technical motor vehicle inspection, had 1.7 severe defects which affected road safety. In all cars over 8 years old, an average of 3.2 defects affecting road safety were found per vehicle. In unprepared cars, i.e. cars which corresponded to the actual condition of the vehicles on the road, the number of defects affecting road safety increases dramatically according to the age of the vehicle (figure 20). Number of Defects by not Prepared / Defective Passanger Cars 4,1 4 3,8 Number of Significant Failures 3 2 1,7 2,1 2,4 3,2% 2,6 3,0 3,3 3, from 18 Vehicle Age Source: Sondererhebung II.Quartal 2001, UAG Untersuchungsfristen, Germany Figure 20 Page 20 of 47

21 Commercial vehicles in this category (N1) are in worse condition than cars where the number of defects is concerned (figure 21). Number of Defects by not Prepared / Defective Light Trucks 4,2 4 3,9 3,9 3,9 Number of Severe Defects 3 2 2,8 2,5 3,0 3,6% 3,5 3, ab 18 Vehicle Age Source: Sondererhebung II.Quartal 2001, UAG Untersuchungsfristen, Germany Figure 21 If we extrapolate this evaluation to all M1/N1 vehicles, this means that in the year 2000 alone, 18 million significant defects would have had to be repaired on vehicles 8 years and older. These are defects in vehicles which were driven on the roads for at least a brief period. 3.2 Motorcycles Accidents The number of motorcyclists injured and killed has not decreased in the last 10 years, in contrast with the general tendency in accidents. Motorcyclists are still particularly at risk and make up 14% of all road fatalities. Young drivers between 15 and 25 years of age are most at risk. The risk of being involved in a fatal accident on a motorcycle is approximately three times that of being killed in a car, taking the number of motorcycles into account. The risk is roughly the same for light motorcycles. However, if one considers the far lower distance travelled each year by motorcycles compared with cars, the risk of being killed in a crash on a motorcycle is 7 to 10 times greater than in a car per kilometre travelled. In report 55/01 Technical Safety and Mobility from DEKRA, Germany, accident analysts found no significant age dependence in the accidents caused by technical defects. This is due to the large percentage of defects causing accidents due to unapproved technical modifications. These modifications are often made in the first years after initial licensing. The accident analysis data in particular show major discrepancies between the groups of motorcyclists. A high amount of 64.9% 84.3% of light motorcycles examined after an accident were defective, some of which with severe defects. However, even in the Page 21 of 47

22 motorcycles which require licensing and which were examined, accident analysts found severe defects in 55.2% of cases. The percentage of accident-relevant faults in motorcycles is therefore accordingly high. The accident analysts classified 13 percent of defects found after accidents as accident-relevant for motorbikes and 30% for light motorcycles (figure 22). Detected Defects during Accident Investigation Motorcycle Light Motorcycle 13% 30% 25% 32% 55% 45% No Technical Defects Severe Technical Defects Defects Causing an Accident Source: DEKRA Accident Research Center, Analyse , Germany Figure 22 These figures from accident analysis are reflected in the official accident statisticsof the German Statistical Office. The proportion of severe accidents caused by technical defects in light motorcycles is 1.6 times that for motorbikes (figure23). 200% Accidents Caused by Technical Defects per vehicles Detected by Police Forces, No Detailed Accident Investigation (only Severe Accidents with Fatalities, Severe Injuries und high Material Damage, without not Reported Accidents) 160% 150% Accidents 100% 100% 50% 0% Motorcycle Light Motorcycle Source: Statistical Office Germany, Verkehr Reihe 7, KBA-Statistik 2000 Figure 23 Unapproved modifications are a significantly greater factor in the assessment of technical safety of motorcycles than for other motorised vehicles. Here, unapproved modifications Page 22 of 47

23 of the drive system are most frequent. The analysts found very few light motorcycles after accidents or traffic checks which had not been customized and generally made faster Technical defects For motorcycles which must be licensed, KBA statistics clearly show that the number of vehicles with severe defects is lower than for cars. The percentage of motorcycles with severe technical defects does double as the vehicles get older, but it remains lower than for cars. KBA statistics show only 11.0% of motorcycles over 9 years old with severe defects. This figure for cars of the same age is 28.4% (figure 24). Motorcycles with Severe Defects during PTI 11,0% Failure Rate % 10% 5% 5,8% 7,6% 8,5% 10,6% 9,2% 0% over 9 Vehicle Age Source: KBA-Statistik 2001, Germany Figure 24 However, even the official figures of the KBA statistics do not paint a realistic picture of the condition of vehicles on our roads, as motorcycles are also specially prepared for periodic technical motor vehicle inspections. Also, it is common practice for motorcyclists or garages commissioned by them to undo unapproved technical modifications (especially soundproofing systems and tyres) before the motorcycles is presented for the periodic technical motor vehicle inspection, and install them again afterwards. Therefore, the supervisory bodies also carried out an additional survey in this area, examining and evaluating 1,500 motorcycles in April The results of this survey revealed defect levels which differed significantly to the official values in the KBA statistics. The reasons for these different results are the same as those for cars. The survey found that almost two thirds (63.3%) of 8 year old motorcycles (70.6% of 16 year old vehicles) unprepared for the inspection, i.e. as they are to be found on the roads every day, had severe defects (figure 25). Page 23 of 47

24 Unprepared Motorcycles with Severe Defects during PTI 75% 69,4% 70,6% 65,0% 63,3% 62,2% 57,7% 57,1% Failure Rate % 50% 37,0% 45,1% 25% 23,6% 0% from 17 Vehicle Age Source: Sondererhebung II.Quartal 2001, UAG Untersuchungsfristen, Germany Figure 25 There are no KBA statistics for light motorcycles which are not subject to licensing, as there is no duty of inspection as yet. However, technical inspections after accidents involving these vehicles show that the road safety condition of these vehicles is worse than that of motorcycles which must be licensed Environmentally-relevant defects KBA statistics show that only 1.9% of motorcycles are found to have environmentallyrelevant defects at the periodic technical motor vehicle inspection. No emissions tests are required for motorcycles, however they are being discussed. The low number of environmentally-relevant defects found is probably related to the practice of removing unapproved mufflers before the inspection and installing them again afterwards, as described above Summary Motorcycles The safety and environment-related factors for motorcycles over age have a similar pattern to that of cars. However, very new (less than 2 year old) motorcycles are in worse condition than cars of the same age due to the repair and maintenance behaviour and unapproved technical modifications. Motorcycles with insurance marks Light motorcycles are not subject to periodic technical motor vehicle inspection. The incentive to ensure that the motorcycles are in road-safe condition is correspondingly low. While light motorcycle drivers make some effort to ensure that their vehicle is relatively safe, light light motorcycles are generally neglected. Completely road-unsafe light light motorcycles are often found during traffic checks. Light motorcycles are also often technically modified, frequently in unapproved ways. The number of severe accidents caused by light motorcycles is 1.6x greater than that caused by motorcycles which require Page 24 of 47

25 licensing and 2.5x greater than that for cars. Due to the large numbers - approximately 1.6 million light motrocycles are not subject to licensing - this vehicle class represents a serious risk as a result of poor technical condition due to a lack of maintenance, especially for the drivers themselves. Estimation of the possibility of preventing accidents via motorcycles with insurance marks In 2001, 12,932 accidents involving light motorcycles were registered in Germany. In these accidents, 14,911 people were injured, 161 died and 4,216 were seriously injured. In the vast majority of these cases, the injured party was the motorcyclist or their passenger. According to an analysis by DEKRA accident research from , 30% of these accidents were caused by technical defects. As motorcycles which do not require insurance marks are currently not subject to inspection, a higher potential must be assumed for estimating the potential accident avoidance by introducing periodic technical vehicle inspection for these vehicles than is the case for the introduction of annual inspections of cars from the eighth year after initial licensing. Research found that approx. 42% of accidents caused by technical defects in cars could have been prevented. Thus, if light motorcycles are included in compulsory periodic technical motor vehicle inspections, potential prevention of at least 50% can be assumed (figure 26). Rate Accidents with Injuries Fatalities Severe Injuries Slight Injuries Accidents Caused by Light Motorcycles Therefrom Caused by Technical Defects 30% Therefrom Avoidable by PTI 50% Figure 26 The introduction of bi-annual technical motor vehicle inspections for motorcycles with insurance marks could lead to 24 fewer deaths in accidents, 632 fewer severe injuries and 1,580 fewer minor injuries (figure 27, 28, 29). Page 25 of 47

26 Accidents with Light Motorcycles Caused by Severe Technical Defects Thereby Killed Persons 48 Avoidable 24 by Introduction of Annual PTI Figure 27 Accidents with Light Motorcycles Caused by Severe Technical Defects Thereby Severe Injuries Avoidable 632 by Introduction of Annual PTI Figure 28 Page 26 of 47

27 Accidents with Light Motorcycles Caused by Severe Technical Defects Thereby Slight Injuries Avoidable by Introduction of Annual PTI Figure N2 Vehicles Accidents Currently, approx. 3.5 million commercial vehicles are licensed. Of these, approx. 425,000 are vehicles with a permitted total weight of 3.5 to 7.5 t. Of those transporters conspicuous on our roads, which are often approved for higher speeds, only 1,500 vehicles classified as cars come under this category (figure 29) Vehicle Population 2001 in Germany (Passenger Cars / Light Trucks) , Passenger Cars Light Trucks Number of Cars in , to 2 t > 2 t to 2,8 t >2,8 t to 3,5 t >3,5 t to 5 t >5 t to 6 t >6 t to 7,5 t > 7,5 t Weight Class Source: KBA-Statistik 2001, Germany Figure 29 Accident patterns for commercial vehicles with a maximum total weight of between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes do not differ significantly from those commercial vehicles with maximum Page 27 of 47

28 total weights over 7.5 t which are subject to compulsory safety testing. No other differences can be found for this vehicle category Technical defects Commercial vehicles with a maximum total weight of between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes have somewhat higher overall fault figures in the first few years than those commercial vehicles with maximum total weights over 7.5 t which are subject to compulsory safety testing (figure 30). Commercial Vehicles with Severe Technical Defects during PTI 3,5 bis < 7,5t 33,7 30 % > 7,5 t 27,9 28,5 26,6 Failure Rate % 20 % 14,6 12,6 23,7 23,4 10 % 0 % Vehicle Age source: DEKRA-Meldung an KBA, Germany Figure 30 If only the testing areas inspected in the compulsory safety tests are considered, we can see that with the exception of the steering system, vehicles with a max. total weight between 3.5 and 7.5 t have a lower overall number of technical defects than the heavier vehicles (figure 31, 32, 33, 34). Page 28 of 47

29 Commercial Vehicles with Defects at Brakes 3,5 bis < 7,5t > 7,5 t 52,6 Failure Rate % 40 % 20 % 22,4 26,7 27,1 37,0 29,3 11,6 10,0 0 % Vehicle Age source: DEKRA-Meldung an KBA, Germany Figure 31 Commercial Vehicles with Defects at Steering 15 % 3,5 bis < 7,5t > 7,5 t 14,6 14,9 12,7 Failure Rate % 10 % 10,3 8,1 10,8 5 % 3,3 3,4 0 % Vehicle Age Source: DEKRA-Meldung an KBA, Germany Figure 32 Page 29 of 47

30 Commercial Vehicles with Defects at Axles, Suspension 3,5 bis < 7,5t 32,7 30 % > 7,5 t 27,2 Failure Rate % 20 % 18,0 18,5 22,4 20,4 10 % 8,0 7,2 0 % Vehicle Age Source: DEKRA-Meldung an KBA, Germany Figure 33 Commercial Vehicles with Defects at Chassis 3,5 bis < 7,5t > 7,5 t 50,9 Failure Rate % 40 % 20 % 21,5 25,4 29,8 34,9 39,1 11,2 11,6 0 % Vehicle Age Source: DEKRA-Meldung an KBA, Germany Figure Environmentally-relevant defects Environmentally-relevant faults in commercial vehicles with a maximum total weight of between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes do not differ significantly from those commercial vehicles with maximum total weights over 7.5 t Summary Commercial vehicles with max. total weights between 3.5 and 7.5 t do not suffer from higher technical defect rates than commercial vehicles with a maximum total weight > 7.5 t subject to safety testing, nor do their accident patterns differ significantly. There is a lack of detailed knowledge concerning accident patterns and defects found during Page 30 of 47

31 periodic technical motor vehicle inspections for the few vehicles with a max. total weight between 3.5 and 7.5 t licensed as cars. 3.4 N3 Vehicles The study realised by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2002 does not focus on heavy duty vehicles, maintaining that this vehicle category is sufficiently supervised by annual PTIs and additional annual safety checks, which are displaced at about 6 month regarding to PTIs. According to responsible authorities these tests ensure roadworthiness up to this moment. Therefore other sources like statistics, publications and reports from industry must be consulted. The following sources are available: statistics by national authorities statistics by CITA questionnaires (2004) statistics by Bilprovningen (Sweden) Accidents Heavy duty vehicles are liable to annual technical inspection. The opening-up of markets, especially to the Eastern European Countries, resulted in a proliferation of truck transport of cargo. As a result the number of vehicles in this vehicle category is growing considerably. But despite this growth, the accident numbers for this category mirror startling developments. Figures 35 and 36 show that the high registration numbers of HDV/HGV since the beginning of the 90-ies have hardly any impact on accident statistics in Germany. Better safety relevant systems, more severe regulations and a strict roadworthiness enforcement also contribute to this success. Figure 35 (Source: KBA) Page 31 of 47

32 Figure 36: Number (growth) of registered HGVs in the last years in Germany Technical defects The following tables make a distinction between simple, significant and heavy failures (with a tendency to influence on their furthermore operation and to send them out of service) for the vehicle category HGV. This vehicle category consists also of busses and other vehicles. The statistic makes no distinction. The statistic shows that 3 year old vehicles have already a failure rate of 33 percent. The well known trend goes up to 66 percent for vehicles that are 7 to 9 years old (table 1). Page 32 of 47

33 Table 1 source: KBA Major failures detected in PTIs are failures related to systems such as headlights, braking systems, wheels, axles, and steering systems (Table 2). These systems considerably benefit to roadworthiness. Breakdowns of vehicles with high weight and huge proportions may cause accidents with severe consequences. Therefore it is necessary to make these vehicles roadworthy. Page 33 of 47

34 Table 2 source KBA Environment relevant defects Table 2 also shows environmental relevant defects. Extreme noise, emissions and loss of fluids (engine oil, hydraulic oil, cooling water, etc.) are relevant failures. These failures can directly or indirectly affect health and life of road users. Environment relevant defects can be detected by technical inspections, emission tests or roadside tests Summary Annual technical inspections subject to 96/96/EC and additional test procedures in individual states are a precondition of vehicle maintenance. Future options for technical inspection are the integration of new vehicle technology for HGVs (e.g. lane departure warning systems, emergency brake systems, etc.). The present inspection technologies have to be adapted to technical progress. Page 34 of 47

35 4 Comparisons with chosen EC - Member States and statements on the interdependence of failure rates and inspection periods As already pointed out, the former examination is based on experiences made in Germany. For data coming from other European countries is rather weak. These Member States only provide data, which by now has not been commented. Nevertheless, to demonstrate that the experiences made in Germany can also be applied to other Member States, the available statistics are compared with statistics conducted in Germany. In this context, data is primarily examined in regard to frequency and distribution of failures in individual vehicle categories. It has also to be taken into account, that the source of failure (smple, significant, out of service ) is not obvious from any statistic. 4.1 United Kingdom The Effectiveness Report 2003/2004 designed bei VOSA (UK) looks in some detail for statistical information during roadworthiness enforcement regarding also to failure rates in different vehicle categories. An other source is the Vehicle roadworthiness survey report by Driver Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) also from UK. M1-vehicles Of vehicles surveyed 33% were identified as having non compliant components. In vehicles over 4 yrs old category the level of non compliance was 36.4%. In vehicles under 4 yrs old category the level of non compliance was 18.8%. Older Vehicles tend to be more non compliant. The three predominant non-compliant items identified were defective lamps, noncompliant number plates and defective tyres. Non-operational lamps were the most frequently recurring defect identified and it appears to be the case that vehicle owners do not regularly check the operation of lamps. Associated dangers attributable to defective lamps include road traffic collisions caused by non-operational stop lamps, defective indicator lamps and dazzle caused by insecure and misaligned headlamps. Defective brakes and steering accounted for 2.6% and 0.3% of defects respectively. However these component checks were restricted to a visual assessment only. The availability of portable test equipment at the roadside may have resulted in an increase in the number of braking and steering defects detected. N3-vehicles (Heavy Goods Vehicles) After increases, motor vehicle initial and final test fail rates decreased in 2003/04. There are a failure rate for HGV s average with 40,8 percent. The initial (as-presented) fail rate decreased from 42.5% to 40.8%.Of the 467,640 motor vehicles presented for test, just over 191,000 failed the annualtest at the first attempt. Page 35 of 47

36 Diagram 2: HGV motor vehicle fail rate at annual test (source: VOSA) Diagram 3 shows the percentage of motor vehicle annual tests by the number oftest items failed. The majority of vehicles pass the annual test at the first attempt in 2003/04, 59.2% of vehicles did so. A further 19.2% of those tested almost 90,000 vehicles failed on only one test item. Within this group, just under 38,000 vehicles failed on headlamp aim only, of which just over 33,500 were subsequently passed after rectification when the headlamp aim had been realigned. Diagram 3: Number of defects at annual test (source: VOSA) The Effectiveness Report indicated that, as a result of the continuing high number of vehicles failing on headlamp aim and its impact on test failrates. The next main failures are in the categories braking, steering and suspension. The distribution is comparable with the results in Germany. Page 36 of 47

37 Diagram 4: Top-ten initial fail rate items source: VOSA Motorbikes, mopeds and others The trend for vehicles after 92/61/EC shows following distribution. But there are no statements to split in different vehicle devices. Table 6: Failure rate for Motorbike, mopeds and others (source DVTA) VOSA (Great Britain) provides the following additional data for vehicle categories: PSV (public service vehicles) HGV (heavy goods vehicles) HGV-trailer. England makes use of the following pattern for the examination of inspection periods Page 37 of 47

38 and by this obtains the following pass/fail rates: Table 3: HGV-Motor Vehicle initial test failure rate by age (Source: VOSA) Table 4: PSV-Motor Vehicle initial test failure rate by age (Source: VOSA) Table 5: HGV-Trailer initial test fail rate by age (Source: VOSA) 4.2 Sweden The aim of Bilprovningen is to increase road safety. Since the compulsory annual inspection was introduced in the mid 60 s, the number of vehicle related ccidents has declined from ten to one percent. Lately, focus has laid more and more on security as a preventive measure. With 5.5 million customer meetings yearly, Bilprovningen has a good opportunity to influence the behaviour of drivers and has therefore increased information efforts at all stations. Through the Company s statistics the public can be informed of the most common deficiencies of a certain vehicle and become a cost in the future maintenance of it. M1-vehicles The results by inspected vehicles record the generally trend. Diagramm 5 show the failure rate for simple failures (no reinspection required) and significant / heavy failures (reinspection required). All three groups (simple/significant/heavy) present the total amount of the average failure rate. That means, in 2004 partook approximately 50 percent Page 38 of 47

39 of all passenger cars with failures on road traffic. The part of reinspections because significant/heavy failures is down to 32 percent. Diagram 5: Failed Motorcyles and Passenger Cars source: Bilprovningen Diagram 6: Failure rates for passenger cars source: Bilprovningen N3-vehicles In comparison to the M1-vehicles and documented statistic by Bilprovningen the detected failure rates have to interpret with the same view. The statistic shows only the significant/heavy failures with ordinary percent. In this calculation there is a lack of the simple failures. However also simple failures influence roadworthiness. Page 39 of 47

40 Diagram 7: Failure rates for trucks source: Bilprovningen Motorcyles Motorcycle inspections in Sweden were introduced in In 1992 notification procedures were changed from use of the last digit of the license plate to the number of years allowed to pass between inspections. From 2005 rules regarding the number of years between inspections changed. Motorcycles manufactured 1950 or earlier are excluded from compulsory inspections. Inspections are carried out according to the regulations of the Swedish National Road Administration and the Swedish National Environment Protection Agency. Motorcycles show low failure frequencies in comparison with cars. But also there are aproximately 20 percent failures over all detected failures. Diagram 8: Failure rates (significant/heavy) for motorcyles source: Bilprovningen Page 40 of 47

41 Diagram 9: Percentage of failed motorcyles by age in 2004 source: Bilprovningen Sweden makes use of the following pattern for the examination of inspection periods to obtain these pass fail rates. 4.3 Germany: In compressed and complementary form regarding to the TÜV/DEKRA and the KBA (Germany) provides data for the following vehicle categories: Passenger cars Motorcycles HGVs Tractors (but not only agriculture tractors!) Trailers (all categories). Page 41 of 47

42 Table 6: Failure rates for different vehicle categories 4.4 Inspection periods As a result of the examination it will be assessed how to ensure road safety in the EU Member States by minimising the inspection periods currently established between consequent PTIs. In a first step, the inspection period which are in force in the single Members States are summarised. This summary is based on CITA-questionnaires, AUTOFOREquestionnaires, the results from WP 200 and other sources. Unfortunately, some information is missing. In addition to that, some sources are contradictory. For that reason discrepancies to the common practice can occur. Table 7 : Periodicity of PTI in EC-member states Page 42 of 47

43 The assessment of the questionnaires from Govermental Bodies issued by the University of Praque mirrors the following picture on the inspection period currently applied in the EU Member States. In order to get a general idea about this, the figures issued by the University of Praque are inserted above. These data represents 66,4 percent of the population of the EU25 states + Bulgaria + Romania. Inspection Period: Private Cars Inspection Period: Goods Vehicles (Less Than 3500kg) Model 4/3/2 in % Model 4/3/2 in % 5, Model 4/2/2 in % Model 4/2/2 in % 31, Model 3/2/2 in % Model 3/2/2/1 in % 21, Model 3/2/1 in % Model 3/1/1 in % 21, Model 3,5/1/1 in % Model 2/2/2 in % 5, Model 3/1/1 in % Model 2/2/1 in % 5, Model 2/2/2 in % Model 2/2/2/1/1 in % 5, Model 2/1/1 in % Model 2/1/1 in % 5, Model 1/1/1 in % Inspection Period: Goods Vehicles (More Than 3500kg) Inspection Period: Passenger Vehicles (Less Than 8 Pass) Model 2/2/1 in % Model 4/2/2 in % 5 25 Model 2/1/1 in % Model 3/3/2 in % 5 5 Model 1/1/1 in % Model 3/2/2 in % Model 0,5/0,5/0,5 in % Model 3/1/1 in % 5 5 Model 2/2/2 in % 10 Model 2/1/1 in % 10 Model 1/1/1 in % Page 43 of 47

44 Inspection Period: Passenger Vehicles (More Than 8 Pass) Inspection Period: Trailers (Less Than 3500kg) Model 1/1/1 in % Model 4/2/2 in % 75 5, Model 1/0,5/0,5/0,5/0,5/0,3 in % Model 3/2/1 in % 5 17, Model 0,5/0,5/0,5 in % Model 3,5/1/1 in % 20 5, Model 2/2/2 in % 35, Model 2/2/1 in % 5, Model 2/2/2/1/1/1/1 in % 5, Model 2/1/1 in % 5, Model 1/1/1 in % 17, Inspection Period: Trailers (More Than 3500kg) Inspection Period: Agricultural Tractors Model 2/2/1 in % Model 8/2/2/2/2/1/1 in % 5 7, Model 2/1/1 in % Model 4/4/4 in % 5 7, Model 1/1/1 in % Model 3,5/2/2 in % 85 7, Model 0,5/0,5/0,5 in % Model 3/3/2 in % 5 7, Model 3/2/2/1/1 in % 7, Model 3/2/1 in % 15, Model 2/2/2 in % Model 1/1/1 >3.5t in % 38, , Page 44 of 47

45 Inspection Period: Motorcycles Inspection Period: Caravans Model 5/2/2 in % Model 6/2/2 in % 6, , Model 4/2/2 in % Model 4/2/2 in % 20 7, Model 3,5/1/1 in % Model 3,5/1/1 in % Model 3/3/2 in % Model 3/3/2 in % 6, , , , Model 3/2/2/1/1 in % Model 3/2/2/1/1 in % Model 3/2/1 in % Model 3/2/2 in % 6, , , , Model 2/2/2 in % Model 3/2/1 in % 26, , Model 2/1/1 in % Model 2/2/2 in % 6, , Model 1/1/1 in % Model 2/1/1 in % 13, , Model 1/1/1 in % 14, Table 8 : Distribution of different options of PTI - periodicity of different vehicle categories In order to make statements on the optimisation of inspection periods, failure rates have to be analysed in relation to the lapse of time between consequent inspections. But relevant data is rare. Nevertheless, some basic aspects have to be taken into consideration in regard to the interpretation of such statistics. Failures which lead to interference with light or produce significant problems, do not have to be interpreted the same and could be categorised differently. In addition to that, it has to be taken into account, that those vehicles which are presented to PTIs either by garages or by the vehicle owner are usually repaired before inspection. Germany has issued a survey on this question which mirrors the following results: Page 45 of 47

46 Table 9: Failure rates for prepared / unprepared passenger cars Page 46 of 47

47 5 Conclusion The results of the periodic motor vehicle inspections show that the percentage of vehicles with defects related to road safety increases significantly as the car ages. Older cars were the cause of a far greater proportion of fatal accidents compared with newer cars. The increase in accidents caused by a car as it gets older approximates the age-related increase of the number of faults found in cars during the periodic motor vehicle inspection. The compared failure (and accident) rates between different member states show also approximately the same factors. Therefore it is a adoption to devolve the detailed german cognitions to other member states, because the same expected circumstances. A decision for changed PTI-periodicities for the first or following inspections can t give this document. But it ist possible to show the most applied succesfully methods because experience in the member states regarding to failure rates, vehicle age and accident causes. Under the point of subsidiarity the member states can follow the proposals or apply own methods in the given frame of 96/96/EC. Page 47 of 47