Auto accidents and failures harm thousands of lives each year. While automobiles are essential to many aspects of our daily life, they pose a significant risk to public health. Making sure that you do everything you can to avoid accidents and keep your car in good shape is vital to prevent this problem from getting worse.

In Australia, a roadworthy certificate is required when buying or selling a used vehicle. It certifies that the significant aspects of safety in a vehicle are in good condition and suitable for driving. It also plays an important role in ensuring that you do not inadvertently buy or sell a vehicle that is in bad shape.

To allow you to ensure that the vehicle you are driving or selling is safe for the road, let’s look at how to go about getting a roadworthy certificate in more detail.

Know Who Distributes Roadworthy Certificates

Certificates of roadworthiness are only issued by licensed vehicle testers throughout the country. Certain garages and service stations have been nominated to provide this service, and the trained personnel at these establishments are responsible for determining whether a vehicle is roadworthy. With many opportunities for licensing available throughout the country, looking online to find an agent that is closest to you makes the process easy.

Know-How Long A Certificate Lasts

If your vehicle successfully passes inspection and receives a roadworthy certificate, then this certification is considered actively current for thirty days. While this is what is the legally determined number established by legislative guidelines, there is any number of things that could happen to a vehicle during this time. As such, if you are the buyer of a vehicle, you must perform your independent inspection of a vehicle in addition to verifying that the vehicle has a roadworthy certificate.

Know The Cost Of A Roadworthy Certificate

The ultimate cost of your roadworthy certificate will depend on a number of factors. No definitive number can be provided here, as the determination will be made based on the make and model of your vehicle, its age, and the general condition that the vehicle is in.

The test to determine if your vehicle is roadworthy will include an inspection of your wheels, steering, and suspension systems, as well as the brakes. Your inspection will also take a look at the seats and seatbelts, lights, windshields, overall structural integrity, and safety features. Based on the outcome of these inspections, you will either pass or fail the roadworthy test.

Know What A Roadworthy Certificate Does Not Imply

The test for roadworthiness is not a comprehensive check that will certify that a vehicle is in top condition. Non-safety related components of your vehicle are not generally considered when the assessment is made. This is because the test is to make public roads safer and not to verify whether a car has comfortable air conditioning.

What To Do If Your Car Does Not Pass

If you have been unsuccessful in acquiring a roadworthy certificate, find out precisely why you have been denied. Replacing or repairing the component in question may be all it takes to make your application successful.

Make Sure Your Vehicle Is Roadworthy

While it might seem like an inconvenience, roadworthy certificates are an important aspect of public driving safety in Australia. Making sure that you take the time to get your vehicle certified before selling it, or making sure that your prospective vehicle to purchase is certified, will help to make the roads and highways of the country safer.