Change in procedure for testing motor vehicle fitness

THE ISLAND Traffic Authority (ITA) has made a change in procedure for testing motor vehicles for the certification of fitness.

This has been implemented as a precautionary measure to safeguard customers and workers from the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Acting Director of the Island Traffic Authority, Donald Henry, said the changes are for a period of 10 working days, from March 16 to March 27. “We will not be test-driving your vehicle. Instead, we ask the customer to drive the vehicle to test the braking system. For the 10-day period, we have been asking persons to go into the test lanes, and we [issue] instructions on how to drive and apply the brakes for testing to be done,” he explained. “We are able to determine if the vehicle continues in a straight line when the brakes are applied. When you brake, the vehicle should continue in the same path and slow down. It should not be pulling to the right or the left,” he added.

Henry pointed out that the examiners are trained to look for specific things and so they are still able to assess the fitness of the vehicle without actually driving it. In addition, all driver’s licence testing has been suspended from all Island Traffic Authority depots for 10 working days.

The acting director said the measures will be reviewed in tandem with directives received from the prime minister, on how government entities should operate during this time.

Meanwhile, Henry is encouraging persons to observe the government guidelines of not having in excess of 20 persons gathered, as well as practising social distancing while on the premises. “We are not encouraging crowding or social gathering at the location as happens at times. Persons are being asked to exit the compound as soon as they have completed their transactions, in order to make way for others who need to do business at the ITA as we seek to maintain the limit allowed by law,” he said.