New technical inspection rules to come into force in Belarus from July 1

30 June, Minsk /BELTA/. A new technical code of established practice "State Technical Inspection of Vehicles. Procedure for checking the technical condition of vehicles" will be introduced in Belarus from 1 July. This was reported to BELTA correspondent by Alexander Kruchek, Deputy Head of the Production and Technical Department of UP "Beltekhosmotr". The procedure for conducting state technical inspection at diagnostic stations and the requirements for vehicles will not significantly change. "The new technical code does not imply any radical changes in the conduct of state technical inspection. The document is primarily needed to streamline the regulatory documentation used in this process and to improve the technology of conducting state technical inspection of vehicles itself," emphasized Alexander Kruchek. The provisions of the new code do not change or exclude the currently applicable requirements of regulatory legal acts in the areas of vehicle and road traffic safety. Some of them have simply been clarified, taking into account the specifics of control and diagnostic work carried out by diagnostic stations and the experience of resolving certain disputed situations with vehicle owners. The most significant innovation is the change in the approach to vehicle painting: individual parts of the vehicle may be of different colours, however, they should not occupy more than 1/3 of the total visible surface area of the vehicle. "We cannot allow vehicles to be excessively multi-coloured, as the traffic police need to be able to visually identify the colour of a vehicle, especially in cases of road traffic accidents, so that witnesses can clearly state that the car was, for example, white or black – and not multi-coloured, which complicates its search," explained Alexander Kruchek. Criteria for body damage have also been clarified. Now, significant external damage to body parts will be determined by the presence of through mechanical or corrosion damage to externally visible body elements, as well as the presence of a body section with damage, the surface area of which allows a circle with a diameter of 100 mm to be inscribed in it, or three or more such areas, the surface area of each of which allows a circle with a diameter of 50 mm to be inscribed.

A more lenient approach will be taken towards external visible stickers on vehicles. In the new code, stickers that are discernible from 10 metres under natural lighting conditions are considered visible. "According to the traffic rules, stickers are not allowed to be affixed, including those such as 'Stiletto Shoe', 'Baby on Board', and so on. All of this remains in effect," the source stated. "However, if a vehicle has a sticker the size of a five-kopeck coin, for example, indicating that an alarm system is installed, no one will force its removal, just as they won't for a small stripe along the side and similar items." As for the approach to admitting vehicles to participate in road traffic, it will remain absolutely unchanged. "For example, the traffic rules state that a vehicle with a non-functional lighting device is not permitted to participate in road traffic. Therefore, whether one bulb is out or two, it is all a non-compliance, and such a vehicle will not be admitted," noted a representative of "Beltekhosmotr". At the same time, at technical inspection stations, in addition to traffic rules, standards concerning the safety of vehicles in operation are also applied. "Here we have room for manoeuvre," the specialist added. "In cases where something, by certain criteria, can be considered to have an insignificant impact on traffic safety, we can accommodate the vehicle owner." The simplest example is the fluid level in the master brake cylinder reservoir. The owner can refill it themselves, so this will not be scrutinised. "The same applies to registration plates: if they are not securely fastened, have mechanical damage or coating delamination not related to their modification – all of this the client can rectify themselves: secure them, repaint them, and so on," he explained.

It is also expected that in the near future, new forms of vehicle diagnostic cards will be used at technical inspection stations. These will reflect the most significant information for vehicle owners regarding the technical condition of the vehicle and any defects identified during the inspection. The current form is noticeably outdated, so when developing the new one, experts tried to follow European models. "Clients sometimes request a reference to the specific clause and document under which they are denied participation in road traffic. There is a need to specify these points," explained Alexander Kruchek. "Much has been simplified in the card. For example, what was indicated on the reverse side was superfluous. Now we are making the card on one side. This speeds up printing and improves the card's informativeness."

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