Vehicle stopped by gardaí had '15 distinct defects' following inspection

A vehicle detained by gardaí on suspicion of being "dangerously defective" and posing an immediate risk to road users was found to have  15 "distinct defects" when it was inspected.

Gardaí said that the vehicle,  detained by gardaí in Carrick-on-Shannon, "catastrophically failed a comprehensive examination by the Sligo/Leitrim Public Service Vehicle Inspector, with a total of 15 distinct defects discovered. 

"Some of the most serious safety defects included: excessively lowered suspension, the vehicle's modified suspension was found to be completely defective; structural undercarriage damage, both the main front cross-member and the undercarriage showed severe damage consistent with repeatedly striking the road surface due to the low ride height; illegal  and dangerous exhaust, all silencer boxes had been removed and replaced with a straight pipe; no silencers were fitted, resulting in extreme, illegal noise pollution and grounding damage; critically defective tyres, the front-left tyre was excessively worn on the inside with large, dangerous structural cracks present. The rear-right tyre was also excessively worn on the inside."

Issuing a warning to motorists gardaí said: "Motorists are strictly reminded of their legal obligation to ensure their vehicle is maintained in a safe, roadworthy condition. Modifications that alter a car's structural integrity, or safety dynamics, render it dangerous to you and other road users. Furthermore, failing to notify your insurance provider of any aftermarket modifications, or driving a dangerously defective vehicle, will invalidate your insurance coverage, leading to policy cancellation and severe court penalties."