Vehicle inspections according to new standards
Prepared by Ministry of Infrastructure the amendment to the regulations has improve road safety and help more effectively protect the environment. The new procedures include, among others stricter technical inspections of vehiclesand also something that has been talked about for a long time: mandatory photography of vehicles during the inspection.
What will the SKP diagnostician check?
Technical inspection of the car is primarily to exclude from traffic those vehicles that do not meet safety standards or environmental standards. During the inspection, the diagnostician checks all of them vehicle components and systems: :
- steering system: condition of connections, degree of wear and the amount of idle movement in the system, possible fluid leaks,
- brakes: wear of brake pads, uniformity of their operation, operation of the handbrake, possible fluid leaks,
- suspension: whether there is any play in the metal and rubber elements,
- exhaust system: technical condition, noise level measurement, in the case of cars with a diesel engine, whether the car has a diesel particulate filter (DPF) installed,
- level of gaseous pollutant emissions or exhaust smoke opacity in cars with internal combustion engines,
- legalization of the gas tank LPG installation in cars
- body condition: whether the windows are intact, whether the frames and thresholds are not rusted,
- Whether lighting works properly, whether the headlights are cracked or dull,
- tires: whether it is matched to the nominal load and vehicle type, degree of wear and tread depth,
- seat belt wear,
- efficiency of the eCall systema pan-European system for automatically calling for help in the event of an accident,
- mandatory equipment: whether the car is equipped with a warning triangle and a working fire extinguisher.
Anything more serious faults detected during the inspection mean that the car will not pass the technical inspection. Only after they are removed and re-examined will the diagnostician be able to confirm technical inspection of the vehicle.
An increase in the fee for testing at the SKP
Ministry of Infrastructure increased by 20 percent rates for mandatory technical inspection of vehicles. For a passenger car, the owner will pay PLN 117 instead of the current PLN 98. For vehicle with gas installation the cost of the test will increase from PLN 162 to PLN 194.40. According to the owners Vehicle Inspection Station (SKP), these increases are too low to cover the rising costs of station operation.
Additional obligations of SPK
All the more so because the legislator imposes further requirements on SPK. The diagnostician will have to check it during the inspection take five photos of the tested vehicle. They must include: car odometer, front view of the car, at the back and sides.
In addition, SKP must be equipped with stations particulate counterswhich will allow for more detailed exhaust emissions testing. This will allow eliminate cars without particulate filters (DPF) from Polish roads and faulty exhaust gas treatment systems.
On improving road traffic safety and better environmental protection what matters most is the legislator. SKP owners are not satisfied with the new, too low research rates. Car owners will also complain as they will have to invest additional money to improve their vehicles. The only advantage of these changes is that the oldest and most unreliable cars will slowly disappear from Polish streets and highways.