In 2010 a total of 476,294 vehicles registered in the province of Malaga were due to take their ITV test. However only 352,223 actually made it to a test centre: 74 per cent. The remaining 26 per cent makes Malaga the Andalusian province with the most cars on the roads that haven’t passed the motor vehicle test, according to statistics from the ITV organisation that forms part of the regional_Economy, Innovation and Science Department. The ITV test is obligatory, either annually or every two years, for vehicles over a certain age in order to ensure that the cars, lorries and motorcycles are roadworthy and therefore do not pose a risk to road safety.
As well as expressing their concern at this “worrying” figure, experts have attempted to find an explanation for the statistics. According to Mario Arnaldo of the association Automovilistas Europeos Asociados, the high proportion could be put down to the large volume of vehicles registered in the province. “However if we look at the figures, in Seville there were even more vehicles due to take the test (559,989) and there the level of compliance with the law was greater, 76 per cent, so the volume theory does not hold by itself”, he argues. While Malaga is only two per cent behind Seville the difference between this province and Cordoba or Jaén, for example is much greater, as there 82 per cent of vehicles take the test.
Crisis and tourism
Joaquín Zamora is the manager of Veiasa, the Junta de Andalucía’s firm that carries out the compulsory tests. He suggests other reasons: “It could be that the economic situation has influenced the figures. The fact that the crisis, and especially unemployment, has hit this province hard, even more so than other areas, could be a factor”, he maintains. “In 2009 the rate of compliance was 75 per cent which shows a slight downward trend which could be due to the crisis”, he continues. At the same time however he brings in another factor especially relevant to this province: tourism. “There are a lot of people who leave a vehicle here because they visit sporadically, but they do not live in Malaga, and do not take the vehicles in for their ITV”.
Arnaldo repeats his alarm at the effect the ITV figures could have on road safety. “The fact that one in four vehicles is not taken for testing is very negative”, he states, pointing out his agreement with Zamora’s impression that financial problems are taking their toll. On average the takings of car repair workshops have fallen by 15 per cent and less spending on car repairs implies that there are more vehicles on the road with mechanical problems. “This could lead to more owners dodging the ITV, fearing that their vehicle’s won’t pass and they will have to spend more”, he points out. Arnaldo also suggests that the new obligation of having to show proof of insurance when taking the test could also affect the figures. “Malaga is the sixth province in Spain with the most uninsured vehicles on the roads”, he reveals before demanding “greater controls” from the relevant authorities, “as this violation of the law increases danger on the roads”.
Moped problem
Looking at the figures for different types of vehicles, owners of two wheels are more likely to dodge their ITV than those with four. In the case of mopeds, only 32 per cent of owners take them for their ITV, that is, less than a third, despite the test being compulsory since 2007. Zamora points that the fact that scooters and mopeds have only been obliged to take the test for the last few years is most likely the explanation. “As it has only come in recently, the idea of taking a moped for a regular inspection has not yet become established”, he says. “What’s more as these vehicles are only used inside cities and towns less attention is paid to their condition, although we also have to bear in mind that the majority of owners are young people”, he adds, while stressing his concern at such a high rate of violation of a regulation. “We have made a huge effort to make life easier for owners, providing mobile testing units that go to different towns. But to our surprise when we have visited towns where 15 or 20 owners were due to being their mopeds for a test, only one has turned up. The Local Police, who are responsible for enforcing the regulation should step up their controls”, claims the manager of Veiasa.
In the case of motorcycles only 50 per cent of owners take the test, while the proportion for cars goes up to 78 per cent.
Joaquín Zamora explains that of those vehicles that are taken for their ITV, 25.4 per cent fail on their first visit. This failure rate goes down to 23.3 per cent for cars, while 46.25 per cent of heavy goods vehicles (over 3,500 kilos) were found to have some kind of defect. Similarly 37 per cent of buses and coaches failed their ITV in 2010.
The most common reasons for failing the test were problems with: headlights and indicators (12%); axles and suspension (10%); brakes (8.3%); or emissions (5.7%).
Marbella
The province’s seventh ITV test centre is due to open this summer in San Pedro Alcántara. Work started on the new centre in July last year, delayed significantly by the large number of bids received for the construction contract. The new centre is expected to test some 72,000 vehicles a year, relieving congestion at the existing centres around the province. At the moment there are two in the city of Malaga (El Palo and the Guadalhorce industrial estate), and one in Algarrobo, Antequera, Ronda and Estepona. The San Pedro centre is expected to create 21 jobs.
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