A thought that intrudes on my mind about all this business about roadworthy and defective vehicles is how many accidents do "unsafe" vehicles ACTUALLY CAUSE?
Lots of "could have, would have and should have" and if the Queen had balls she would be King.
The vice grips on the steering is a pretty outrageous example but when did a torn seat cover or dud windscreen washer etc ever cause an accident. And as for a few bubbles of rust in a door!
Annual roadworthies are a money tree rort for service centres and feel-good impost on the community for politicians. I think Queensland has the best idea of having a roadworthy only on change of ownership coupled with roadside spot checks on obvious REAL defective items.
People know their tyres are bald, brakes don't work or steering wanders and continuing to drive is a deliberate offence.
Let's get back to essential equipment checks such as bald tyres, inoperative brakes, lights and extreme steering and suspension faults. Everything has a cost benefit balance (yes even saving a life has a price beyond which it is unreasonable for the community to pay for.)
The only way to be 100% safe is to have no cars. We have gone way beyond the cost benefit line between a no cost open gladiator road scene and community grinding to a halt with everyone walking. No horses allowed as they are more dangerous than cars.
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