Regulations and registration procedures for modified vehicles
It is a common image and misunderstanding that modified vehicles are dangerous. Yes, if the modifications have not been done properly, then the vehicle can become dangerous…but in the same way that a normal vehicle that has not been maintained properly.
In most cases, it comes down to the person who is driving the vehicle. As a sign of that, many of the recorded accidents that takes place in this country are caused by absolutely normal cars, that just happened to be driven in a poor manner.
However, there is a problem with drivers of such modified vehicles racing around and making much noise especially late at night in
residential areas. This type of behavior must be rectified, and is not only limited to drivers of modified cars, but also supercars that are
naturally loud when pushed.
I have heard rumors that a new regulation for modified cars is coming to place, at least in Dubai, but also from what I have heard, the proposed way of regulation will have faults. To my understanding, how the regulation will work is that certain workshops will be licensed to modify vehicles, and cars modified at such workshops will be registered without trouble.
The fault I see in this is that, I feel that once a workshop gets their license to modify, they will slack in the work or allow cars not road
worthy to pass by extra payment.
At the same time, smaller workshop whom perform proper work but unable to afford the cost for modification license will close.
Ideally, I feel that the best way to regulate the registration for modified cars is to have a centralized registration facility as there
already are for car testing. By having such facility to be able to accommodate modified vehicles and to test set criteria’s for modified
cars would prevent loopholes in the system. For example, vehicles would be tested for their power output and if braking/stopping capacity is in suit with the increased power, body reinforcements and other safety features, if modifications done on the vehicle has been done properly, and to make sure the noise level of the vehicle is not too high.
This would keep things much simple…cars that are safe and roadworthy will pass and be registered, and cars that are not safe or roadworthy will not pass.
