Drivers urged to check vehicles are roadworthy

Drivers in Jersey are being urged to check their vehicles are roadworthy after six commercial vehicles were impounded and eight drivers were issued with defect notices at a St Martin road check on Thursday 28 February 2013.

 

275 vehicles passed through the road check on La Rue a Don between 7.30am and 9.30am. The checks were carried out by officers from Driver and Vehicle Standards (DVS), the States of Jersey Police roads policing unit, St Martin Honorary Police and Customs and Immigration.

 

Among those stopped was the driver of a medium goods vehicle which had a visible oil leak. Officers also found the driver held the wrong driving licence for a medium goods vehicle. 

 

A further five commercial vehicles were impounded with defective brakes and worn tyres. One driver, who had recently moved to Jersey, was told to exchange his domestic driving licence for a Jersey licence and an extra eight drivers were issued defect notices for minor defects including broken mirrors, defective lights and worn wiper blades. They will have to bring their vehicles to DVS for inspection once the problems are fixed.

 

Acting Senior Motor Traffic Officer, Chris Le Maistre commented “Although most of the vehicles passing through the check were in good condition, I was really concerned that six commercial vehicles were impounded for defective brakes and worn tyres, and that a driver was holding the incorrect driving licence for the category of vehicle he was driving following a disqualification.

 

"Owners and drivers should be conducting routine checks to ensure their vehicles are roadworthy. We were also able to advise some relatively new drivers to the Island of the procedure for exchanging their home country licences for Jersey licences."