A dangerous vehicle is simply any automobile with issues that could potentially trigger a hazard on the road to itself and other road users. In Nigeria, many dangerous vehicles are driven on the roads daily.
This is due to a poor vehicle maintenance culture, a lack of sufficient mechanical experts, the high cost of frequent vehicle maintenance procedures, negligence from vehicle owners, and more.
The Whistle app has a feature for reporting dangerous vehicles when you see them. Here is a list of ten vehicle problems that dangerous vehicles usually have to help you identify and report them easily:
Bad battery
This is easily the most common problem that vehicles experience while on the road. Car batteries have a life expectancy of three to five years. Owners of preowned vehicles are advised to obtain a new battery after the purchase but many fail to do this.
Ultimately, a faulty vehicle battery salvages damages the alternator and causes the vehicle to go off suddenly while it is in motion. Steering and brake failure also occur, possibly causing an accident.
Damaged tires and wheels
The tires and wheels of a car are as important as the engine of the vehicle because they determine the quality of a car’s motion on the road. Punctured tires and wheel misalignment are some of the most common problems a vehicle could have.
Although they can be fixed easily, they could cause sudden road accidents if they detach from the vehicle while it is in motion.
Faulty brake
The brake in a vehicle is used to halt or slow down the movement of a vehicle. The most common reason for brake failure in vehicles is insufficient brake oil which prevents the pressure applied on the brake pad from going to the tires of the vehicle.
Drivers and other road users would notice that a vehicle is experiencing brake failure when its motion does not stop even when the brake light is on. An accident is bound to occur when this happens.
Electrical malfunctions
Automobile manufacturers are constantly adding and tweaking the electrical features of the vehicles that they produce. A lot of them work but technology is not absolute and it is bound to have occasional malfunctions which make the vehicle dangerous to the driver and other road users.
Some common vehicle electrical malfunctions are sudden flat batteries, damaged alternators, faulty spark plugs, and others.
Damaged foot pedal/clutch
The clutch in vehicles is what connects and separates the vehicle’s engine and transmission system. This is the reason why drivers can switch gears seamlessly when the foot pedal is pressed.
A vehicle’s foot pedal/clutch becomes faulty due to weak pressure plates, oil leaks into the clutch assembly, wear and tear, and more.
Some of the signs of this fault are a loose or hard foot pedal. Difficulty with switching gears and a squeaky noise from the foot pedal when pressed also occur. You would typically know if a vehicle on the road has this issue from the way it accelerates.
Overloading
Every vehicle has its weight limit. When that weight limit is exceeded, it affects the car’s ability to accelerate properly. The items loaded into or on top of a vehicle can cause the vehicle to tilt while in motion. This can cause an accident. Never overload a vehicle.
Leakage
Leakages in vehicles are usually caused by busted oil pipes and fuel tanks. This is a high-risk fault in vehicles especially when the vehicle is in motion on the road as it could become flammable, starting a fire that could potentially spread to other vehicles on the road.
Do you know any other problems that could cause a vehicle to be reported as a dangerous vehicle on the Whistle app?
Share them in the comment.
