Good news for vehicle owners: Fines will no longer be issued for this equipment

The Ministry of Interior has issued a new notification concerning approximately 35 million vehicle owners. The statement clarified that removable equipment such as roof racks, rooftop tents, and ski carriers attached to vehicles cannot be considered within the scope of technical modifications.

According to the report on NTV, it has been requested that no administrative action be taken against vehicle owners during traffic inspections due to such equipment, in accordance with Article 32 of the Highway Traffic Law No. 2918.

AITM SUB-COMMITTEE HAS MADE ITS DECISION

In the meeting results note of the Sub-Committee on the Manufacture, Modification, and Assembly of Vehicles (AITM), it was stated that roof racks are closed and lockable cargo-carrying equipment fixed onto crossbars that are either present on the vehicle or mounted subsequently.

The decision emphasized that this equipment does not create a permanent change in the vehicle's structural integrity or safety parameters, and therefore should not be evaluated as a modification.

PENALTY PRACTICE COMES TO AN END

Previously, in some police and gendarmerie inspections, vehicle drivers with roof racks, rooftop tents, or ski carriers could be subject to a 1,000 lira administrative fine at the officer's discretion, and could also be given a 30-day period to have the equipment officially registered as a modification.

With the new regulation, this practice has been ended. From now on, police and gendarmerie teams will not be able to issue fines solely on the grounds that this equipment is present.

WHAT DOES ARTICLE 32 OF THE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC LAW CONTAIN?

"Technical modifications on vehicles and the obligation to notify

It is mandatory for the operator to have any modifications made to vehicles in accordance with the legislation registered in the vehicle registration document/records within thirty days. An administrative fine of 1,000 Turkish Liras is imposed on operators who do not comply with this paragraph.

Vehicles on which technical modifications have been made in accordance with the legislation are prohibited from traffic until the modification is documented as being in compliance with the legislation and this situation is registered in the vehicle registration document/records at the relevant registration authority.

It is prohibited to make modifications to a vehicle in a manner contrary to the relevant legislation. In case of modifications contrary to the legislation, an administrative fine of 5,000 Turkish Liras is imposed on the operator, and the vehicle is prohibited from traffic until it is brought into compliance with the legislation. If this modification is of a nature that causes noise to a degree that disturbs those around, an additional administrative fine of 16,000 Turkish Liras is imposed on the driver using the vehicle. The vehicle processed under the third sentence is prohibited from traffic for thirty days, and at the end of the prohibition period, the vehicle is not released until it is brought into compliance with the legislation.

In vehicles where it is mandatory to have a rear impact protection frame/side protection frame/roll-over protection structure in accordance with the relevant legislation, an administrative fine of 16,000 Turkish Liras is imposed on the operator if this equipment is missing or does not comply with technical requirements, and the vehicle is prohibited from traffic until it is brought into compliance with the legislation."

THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR'S CIRCULAR

"It has been understood that there have been hesitations in practice regarding whether equipment such as roof racks, tents, and ski carriers attached to vehicles in recent times constitute a technical modification on the vehicle and whether they should be evaluated as a modification within the scope of the Regulation on the Manufacture, Modification, and Assembly of Vehicles (AITM).

In Article 32 of the Highway Traffic Law No. 2918, titled "Technical modifications on vehicles and the obligation to notify"; "It is mandatory for the operator to have any modifications made to vehicles in accordance with the legislation registered in the vehicle registration document/records within thirty days. An administrative fine of 1,000 Turkish Liras is imposed on operators who do not comply with this paragraph.

Vehicles on which technical modifications have been made in accordance with the legislation are prohibited from traffic until the modification is documented as being in compliance with the legislation and this situation is registered in the vehicle registration document/records at the relevant registration authority"

In Article 65 of the Highway Traffic Regulation, titled "Notifying Changes Made on Vehicles and Address Changes"; "It is mandatory to notify any traffic registration branch or office of any technical changes made on vehicles in the ways specified in the Regulation on the Manufacture, Modification, and Assembly of Vehicles, as well as changes regarding the color of the vehicle, within thirty days from the date the change occurs, and to have them registered in the registration records and documents; and to notify any traffic registration authority of changes regarding the vehicle owner's address within thirty days" provisions are included.

In the meeting results note of the Sub-Committee on the Manufacture, Modification, and Assembly of Vehicles (AITM) sent in the annex of the letter referenced; it was decided that roof racks are closed and lockable cargo-carrying equipment fixed onto crossbars that are present on the vehicle or mounted subsequently, that it is not a permanent process that changes the structural integrity or safety parameters of the vehicle, and therefore such equipment should not be evaluated within the scope of modification.

As stated in the referenced letter, it is seen that equipment referred to as roof racks is not within the scope of modification under the Regulation on the Manufacture, Modification, and Assembly of Vehicles (AITM), that the use of such equipment does not change the structural integrity and safety parameters of the vehicle, does not involve interference with the chassis and body structure, and in this respect, it is not possible to evaluate the equipment in question as a technical modification to the vehicle.

In this context, regarding traffic inspections to be carried out, it is requested that equipment of a removable nature such as roof racks, tents, and ski carriers attached to vehicles not be evaluated within the scope of modification and that no action be taken in accordance with Article 32 of Law No. 2918,

I request your information and necessary action.

Ali ÇELİK

Deputy Minister of Interior"

News Source: 12punto