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2017.10.12
Neglected inspection policy threatens road safety and the environment
Swetic is the trade association for companies that work with testing, inspection, control and certification of vehicles. In the report, Swetic writes that a prerequisite for achieving the transport policy goals of reduced environmental impact and fewer fatal accidents is flexible and modern vehicle inspection.
– Today, environmental controls are insufficient and for cars to maintain acceptable environmental performance, continuous maintenance and inspection are required, but after just a couple of years, many vehicle owners stop having such service. In addition to road safety, environmental impact is one of the most important aspects of a vehicle inspection and here the controls need to be tightened, says Tord Fornander, chairman of the Swetic Vehicle Inspection Section.
Vehicle inspections are a support for owners to keep their vehicles safe and free of defects, when developments make it increasingly difficult for them to prevent defects and deficiencies themselves. As vehicles develop, rules and regulations also need to be updated continuously to keep vehicles on Swedish roads safe.
– Insufficient environmental controls also threaten human health. There are reports that suggest that air quality in Europe leads to high levels of emissions from, among other things, car exhaust and to over 400,000 premature deaths annually. Germany has already decided to tighten the rules for environmental controls and we in Sweden should be at the forefront, says Tord Fornander.
Vehicle inspection is an important tool for counteracting the negative impact that road traffic exhaust emissions have on both human health and the environment and climate. In order for the transport sector to contribute to the political goals of reduced emissions, additional measures are needed, as today's control instruments are being "eaten up" by increasing traffic. Swetic wants and can contribute by developing environmental controls to reduce the impact on the environment and climate, which could prevent future European diesel scandals.
