NLIS 2
January 15, 2004
(Government Services and Lands)

 

Charges laid against inspection station, mechanic and truck owner

The Department of Government Services and Lands and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced today that a number of charges have been laid in connection with a tractor-trailer that was ordered off the road near Goobies in November.

The truck was immediately taken off the road following a random check by RCMP. Police say they found the exhaust system hanging off; a driver�s side fender held on with wood; shocks hanging on only by bolts; seven bald tires; hydraulic hoses dragging on the ground, and oil leaking from the truck. The truck had an updated inspection certificate.

A joint investigation by the RCMP and the Motor Registration Division highway enforcement officers has resulted in charges against the garage that issued the inspection certificate and the mechanic who signed it. The court date for these charges is February 16 at Harbour Grace.

Government Services and Lands Minister Dianne Whalen says highway safety is a top priority of this government and her officials will be tough on garage owners and truck operators that are not complying with the regulations.

"We will continue to investigate operators of official inspection stations who are suspected of improperly issuing inspection slips. The laws are there to ensure the vehicles travelling on our roads are safe, and we will uphold the law," the minister said.

The garage is charged under the Official Inspection Station Regulations for issuing an inspection certificate without properly inspecting a vehicle, and issuing a certificate from a location other than an official inspection station. That station�s licence as an official inspection station has not been renewed by the department.

The mechanic who signed the certificate is facing three charges, including failing to ensure a vehicle meets the standards before issuing an inspection certificate; permitting a vehicle inspection sticker to be displayed without a proper inspection, and issuing an inspection slip from a location other than an official inspection station.

Additional charges have also been laid against the owner of the truck. Police had ordered the truck parked until the suspension and tires were repaired, or a float truck was brought in to transport it. This week, the owner was charged under the Highway Traffic Act in relation to the truck being moved. The owner has been ticketed for driving an unregistered vehicle, driving without a valid safety inspection and driving without insurance. The fines for the three tickets total $2,500.

The truck owner was charged in November with driving with an expired driver�s licence, failure to maintain a daily log book and operating a vehicle with defective equipment.

Media contact:

Tracy Barron, Government Services and Lands, (709) 729-4860 or (709) 690-6157

                    RCMP Cst. Gerry Parsons, Clarenville detachment, (709) 466-3211

2004 01 15                                     11:55 a.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement