VEHICLES WITH excessive exhaust noise or tinted windows may fail the National Car Test (NCT) from next year under new proposals published by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) yesterday.
The authority has sought opinions from motorists and those in the motor trade on a list of proposals that would be introduced at the start of 2010.
The introduction of an annual test for cars which are more than 10 years old is also under consideration. Under existing rules cars that are four years old or more have to be tested every two years.
An annual test for older cars would see an extra 120,000 tests taking place annually and extra cost for owners of these vehicles.
With the cost of a test at €50, the move would generate at least an extra €600,000 in revenue for the testing company. Re-tests for vehicles cost €28.
The RSA is not proposing tests for cars which are 30 years or older, which are currently exempt from undergoing an NCT.
The RSA said it believed the new test items would improve the safety of vehicles and help cut road deaths.
Excessively tinted windscreens or front-side windows present a significant safety hazard for drivers and their occupants, according to the RSA.
It is proposed that the glass in the windscreen and front-side windows will be required to have a light transmission level of not less than 65 per cent in order to pass the test, according to the consultation document.
This move, along with a proposed clampdown on what the RSA described as the “nuisance” of excessive noise from car exhausts, will particularly affect so-called “boy racers” or car enthusiasts who often add bigger exhaust pipes and darkened glass to their cars.
It is also proposed to test rear fog lamps, reversing lights and rear registration-plate lamps.
Checks for malfunctioning warning lights on a dashboard for airbags, electronic stability control systems, and electronic and anti-lock braking systems may also be brought in under the new NCT regime.
Cars that do not have tyres with an “E” mark, indicating they are certified to comply with international regulations, will also fail the test under the RSA proposals.
Responses to the proposals can be submitted to the Road Safety Authority by March 27th. The group will present its proposals to the Department of Transport once the consultation is finished.
