As you may be aware, your government is very worried about your safety behind the wheel. They want to make sure that your car is in good condition so that it does not present a hazard to not just you and your passengers, but to other road users as well. Therefore, if you've just purchased a car in another state and want to register it at home, you must submit it for a roadworthiness test before you can proceed much further. You may be quite happy with the general mechanical condition of this vehicle, but are you sure you have taken everything into account? Why should you be looking inside the car as well as underneath?

Focusing on the Seats

When people think about roadworthiness, they tend to focus on brakes, tyres, suspension and lights. You may have looked at all of these and are happy with what you see, but a 'rego' inspector will also want to look at the condition of your seats and seat belts. If your vehicle gets into an accident, then these all-important components are going to be crucial in preventing injuries; consequently, the inspector will take a very good look to see that they are mounted properly and are still in serviceable condition.

Belts and Latches

Are you sure that the seat belts latch properly without any issue and come apart with a single motion? You need to check all of the belts, including those attached to the rear seats. Remember that these mechanisms have to be able to put up with significant forces in the event of a crash. You'll also need to check the condition of the webbing, especially in older vehicles, to make sure that the structure does not have any defects or tears.

Holding You in Place

When your vehicle decelerates in an emergency, the retraction mechanism is supposed to lock in a split second to keep the occupants safely in place. Therefore, the inspector will take a close look at each location to see if they need any fine adjustments to pass the grade.

Securely Mounted

To finish off your inspection, trace the seat belts down to the floor or to the side of the seats, and look carefully at the mounting points. Remember, this is where a lot of the force will be applied in an accident, and these mounting points need to be very secure. Make sure that the previous owner has not introduced any modifications here for any reason, as the inspector will certainly take a dim view of this.

Getting It Right

You should be completely happy with the state of your vehicle before you submit it for rego inspections. If you're not, take it to a mechanic for them to make any modifications and perform their own 'dummy' inspection before you move on.

Share