A Joint Traffic Enforcement Safety initiative took a number of unsafe vehicles off the road on Tuesday, July 27, 2021.
Cobourg Police along with Northumberland OPP, Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Environment held the initiative at the Court House on William Street in Cobourg starting at approximately 3 p.m. and going into the evening hours.
Cobourg Police Traffic Sgt. Mike Richardson said the initiative was targeting modified motor vehicles, unnecessary noise and speeding as part of the STEP (Selected Traffic Enforcement Project) by Cobourg Police for the month of July.
Some charges related to unsafe vehicles, no muffler, no catalytic converter, no brakes among other items.
One driver came forward and told police he didn’t even have a muffler.
It wasn’t just modified vehicles in the parking lot of the courthouse on Tuesday, there were pickup trucks and commercial motor vehicles.
At least three vehicles had their plates removed for safety violations and were towed away.
“The Ministry of Transportation has deemed them not fit, the Ministry of Environment has deemed them not fit contrary to the Environmental Protection Act.”
One man who had the plates removed off of his 1984 pickup said he was just leaving a store, “and was a little bit loud coming up the hill.”
“They got me.”
Police escorted him to the courthouse where an inspection deemed the vehicle was unfit for the road.
At first is was a muffler issue, but after the inspection he said officials noticed a lot of “body damage and unsafe stuff.”
“A few things they were knit-picking at, but the main safety concerns I find were understandable.”
Having it on the road for 10-years the owner admitted, “it was just a matter of time.”
Richardson said, “ultimately it comes down to the safety of the motor vehicles on the roadways that we all use.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
