Huge Spike in ITV Absenteeism

According to data from the Spanish Association of Collaborating Entities of the Administration in the Technical Inspection of Vehicles (AECA-ITV), 2021 closed with 40% absenteeism in the technical inspection of vehicles. Or to put it another way, four out of ten vehicles that had to pass the ITV did not attend the inspection.

The figure represents a new record for absenteeism, doubling what was the highest figure until now (20%).

This situation, in the assessments of AECA-ITV, represents a high risk for road users, since many of the vehicles that travel on the streets and highways do so without verifying that they meet the minimum quality standards.

In fact, the age of the fleet and the poor condition of the vehicles are two risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of road accidents. This is confirmed by the DGT report Main figures on Road Accidents in Spain in 2020, according to which “there is a relationship between the age of the vehicle involved in the accident and the state of its technical inspection”.

In the case of passenger cars, the percentage of vehicles that suffer an accident is 7% between the ages of five and nine, while it rises to 15% when they are over fifteen; and in vans and trucks up to 3,500 kg, the percentages range from 10% (between 5 and 9 years) to 25% when they exceed 15 years.

“Going to the Technical Inspection of Vehicles is an exercise in social co-responsibility, since the preventive work carried out by the ITV ensures that all vehicles circulating on public roads are in good condition and comply with both safety and security regulations. Citizens as a whole must understand the importance of carrying out the ITV of their vehicle”, assures Guillermo Magaz, managing director of AECA-ITV.

In turn, the association point out that, according to a recent study by the Carlos III University of Madrid, mandatory vehicle inspections prevent 539 fatalities per year, more than 12,000 people injured of different considerations and at least 17,700 vehicle accidents.