Well cared for old cars still roadworthy, say motorists MANY motorists feel that it is not true that vehicles more than 12 years old were not roadworthy any more. They said usually it was the newer cars that often met with accidents, compared to the older ones. As such, they said it was not a good idea to decommission cars that were more than 12 years old. D. John, 61, said vehicles above 12 years should undergo inspection at Puspakom to certify if the vehicle was fit to be on the road or otherwise. “But it will not be right just to assume if a car is old, it is not fit to be on the road. “Most of the times the older cars are usually the well-maintained ones,” he said. Police officer P. Vijayan, 49, said if a car was well-maintained by its owner, there was no need to write off such cars. He, however, said the Government could come up with regulations to make it compulsory for cars that were 12 years old and above to obtain the Puspakom inspection certificate. “Also, the continental cars are better when it comes to safety standards, compared to the local cars. “Maybe it is time to ensure the safety aspects of local cars to reduce accidents and other problems,” he added. They said this in response to Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research director-general Prof Dr Wong Shaw Voon who had said that vehicles more than 12 years old are not roadworthy any more and could pose risks to drivers. He had said that these vehicles were exposed to mechanical-related glitches which would diminish its safety net ability in a crash. Dr Wong had said that most vehicles are manufactured to function to their optimum of between five and 12 years. Insurance agent Kong Wai Lin, 47, said with the increasing cost of living, it would burden the lower-income group if they were asked to change their cars every 12 years. He said not everybody could afford to change cars. “There are more people in the lower-income group bracket compared to those living in luxury. “For those earning low wages, it is just enough to cover daily expenses, and not possible to change cars,” he said. P. Suresh Anand, 47, a runner for a second-hand car dealer, said the public transportation system in the country should be upgraded first before such an idea is even suggested. He said in Singapore there was a requirement for cars that were 10 years old and above to be disposed off, but that it was easier to do this there as their public transportation system is good. “In Malaysia, we still have a long way to go before we can implement the policy,” he added. Alan Ng, 32, a transportation company manager, said cars that were in good condition need not be taken off the roads. However, he said there were some cars that were not maintained at all, and that most of such cars could be found in rural areas. “Some cars are in such a deplorable condition and not fit to be on the road, yet we see them,” he said.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 01:45:27 +0000
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