So far this year, Swedish police have stopped a whopping 15,002 cars that are not legal to use on public roads, according to statistics that Carup took part in.
The fact that a vehicle is illegal to use can have several reasons.
It could be, for example, that the car is parked, that the tax has not been paid, or that the car is subject to a driving ban due to a lack of an approved inspection.
Most common reason the vehicle is illegal
The most common reason why a vehicle stopped by the police is illegal to use is that it is subject to a driving ban. So far this year, more than 8,800 vehicles have been stopped with a driving ban.
This means that the vehicle’s last inspection day has passed. In some cases, it may be that the car has just been banned from driving, while other vehicles that have been stopped have been banned from driving for many years.
– On the first of every month, many cars are banned from driving, we see it directly in the system. But you can actually miss, and you often see it in their reaction when you stop them, says the traffic police Anders Schääf to Carup.
A common excuse is that you have not been called to the inspection, but Anders Schääf does not buy it.
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The police can take the car
Another common reason why a vehicle is subject to a driving ban is that the owner has not paid the vehicle tax. This year, over 3,800 illegal cars have been stopped for this reason.
The consequences if you are caught for this can be severe.
– We see if the owner of the vehicle has not paid the tax. If it also has debts and the car is worth money, we can seize it, says Anders Schääf.
Then the police can take the license plates
The police also stop many cars that are illegal to use as they are simply stopped.
In addition to driving to and from the inspection, which is permitted the vehicle is road insured and all previous taxes have been paid, you may not use a vehicle that is parked.
Anyone caught driving a vehicle that has been parked for more than two months will have their license plates confiscated. To get them back, you have to park the vehicle.
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