Lithuanian Transport Minister Eugenijus Sabutis opposes the European Commission’s (EC) proposal for annual inspections of cars over ten years old, saying that such an age limit is too low for Lithuania.
“Ten years is certainly too low a limit, given that newer cars are in good condition and are produced to a high standard,” Sabutis told BNS earlier this week.
“If the discussion were limited to the idea of doubling the frequency of technical inspections after reaching a certain age, my opinion is negative on this issue,” he added.
Currently, new cars in Lithuania are subject to a compulsory technical inspection three years after their first registration, and every two years thereafter.
In the minister’s view, it should be taken into account that the average age of cars in Lithuania is the highest in Europe, as residents “probably have no money to buy newer cars”.
Last week, the European Commission presented proposals for a comprehensive overhaul of the European Union’s road safety and vehicle registration rules aimed at better road safety and air quality across the EU.
The proposed measures include annual inspections for cars and vans over ten years old.
According to the Lithuanian minister, there needs to be a clear statistical justification of the age of a vehicle as a factor in accidents.
The European Commission argues that its proposals will save around 7,000 lives and prevent around 65,000 serious injuries between 2026 and 2050.
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