This article concerns a study of the influence of age and mechanical condition of vehicles on the frequency and importance of road accidents in order to show the usefullness of compulsory periodical inspection. The chapter dealing with the importance of the mechanical condition of vehicles first describes how the rate of fatal accidents varies with the involved vehicles' age, according to American, British and Italian statistics. Then is described how the mechanical conditions of vehicles changes with the vehicles' age, according to the results obtained by technical inspection in Belgium and by road tests in Great Britain. Decline coefficient is addressed, followed by the conclusions referring to this chapter. The following chapter tells how the influence of compulsory technical inspection has brought about a better mechanical condition of vehicles and gives some British, American and Belgian results. The conclusion of this chapter draws attention to be beneficial results of inspection and to its psychological action. The last chapter deals with statistics of defective vehicles. A comparison is made between various countries as to the way the inspection certificate is arranged and as to the grouping of defects. A table compares different national statistics concerning defective vehicles with special reference to the groups of defects affecting lights, brakes and steering. The general conclusions of this paper give a few recommendations on information to be included in statistics, on a certain standardisation of the inspection certificate, on the grouping of defects and the standardisation of checking and rejection criteria to be used by inspectors. (A)
Abstract