Thunder Bay Police Service’s traffic unit pulled several vehicles off the road during a traffic blitz Wednesday afternoon.
Sitting on CN property on Waterloo Street, officers pulled over vehicles they thought looked unsafe to be inspected by a Ministry of Transportation officer.
"We’re looking for vehicles that have rust on the side of them with rusted holes right through the bodywork or any kind of wires hanging underneath them or a cracked windshield," said Const. Andrew Johnstone.
Police were finding many issues with some vehicles including serious rust damage and braking problems.
"If your brakes aren’t working properly, you’re not going to be able to stop and that’s when severe collisions can happen," Johnstone said. "This is our way of trying to be proactive and stop collisions from happening."
By law, vehicles do have to meet specific safety standards in Ontario in order to be on the road.
"You have to maintain a certain standard with your vehicle; you can’t just let it go to the wayside," said Johnstone.
Of the 30 vehicles checked, 21 had thier plates removed on scene. Another nine vehicle owners were given 15-day warnings.
The police will do periodic safety blitzes throughout the summer and fall.
