MECHANICAL FAULTS

Evening Star, Issue 21993, 1 April 1935, Page 15

MECHANICAL FAULTS

REVEALED BY INSPECTIONS The fact that seven States in the United States have annual or bi-yearly compulsory mechanical inspections of automobiles has enabled statisticians in that country to compile and issue informative figures about mechanical faults. As the official inspections for twelve months covered >3,019,8715 motor vehicles, the figures quoted may be taken as a reliable index of the troubles that affect automobiles in general. Tho chief fault was found to be badly focussed lamps. 54] per cent, of tho vehicles requiring adjustment or replacement of the lighting equipment. Adjustments, repair, or replacement of brakes had to be made in 34.9 per cent, of the vehicles. Approximately 67 per cent, of all tho vehicles examined were found deficient in some way, attention to steering totalling 5.1 per cent., and adjustment to horns 3.9 per cent. Defective windscreen wipers amounted to 5.14 per cent., and broken or misplaced mirrors 2.1 per cent. In support of compulsory annual inspection of automobiles, American' authorities point out that, while no informed person would contend that all of the 2,000,000 automobiles which showed ■mechanical faults would have been ac-cident-makers if their deficiencies had not been revealed and remedied, common sense compels the conclusion that among the faults detected wore many which might have caused accidents or contributed to them. Thus, the protective activities associated with compulsory inspection are deemed worth while and justified in the States of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland. Virginia, New Hampshire, Maine, and Delaware.