A MINIBUS branded as a “skip” and “the very definition of a death trap” has been seized after it was found to have an alarming number of safety issues.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) shared horrifying images of the state of the vehicle online yesterday after it was stopped in Northamptonshire.
Police and DVSA enforcement officers found a long list of issues that could have endangered the 10 passengers on board, including unrestrained seats and faulty door handles.
To top it off, the driver was found to not have the correct licence, or valid insurance.
The shocking images show one seat being held in place with string, and a random selection of plastic chairs littering the back of the minibus.
Another shows a missing external door handle, meaning passengers would be trapped in the event of an accident.
On closer inspection, four separate faults were discovered with the handles alone.
The state of the vehicle as a whole appears shabby and not well-maintained, with litter spotted on the seats and floor, and in a door pocket.
The DVSA’s post to social media yesterday read: “Time’s up for this skip of a minibus.
“Our eagle-eyed enforcement officers picked up this minibus on their last stop of the day while working with Northants Road policing unit, recently.
“The outside looked okay, but it soon became apparent that all wasn’t as it should be…
“Our officers ran a check on the driver and found they didn’t have the correct licence to drive this class of vehicle. Which meant they weren’t insured either.
“They found that:
“- none of the passenger doors could be opened from the outside
“- the nearside (pavement side) door only opened about six inches
“- the rear door handle was locked
“- the offside side door would only open from the inside – if it was involved in an accident, the passengers would be trapped
“Worse was to come. 10 passengers were in the minibus:
“- a passenger in the centre row of the bus was wearing the seatbelt around her neck so was instructed how to use it properly.
“- heavy string was tied between a seatbelt fixing point and the rear seat to prevent it from tipping backwards as there were no fixings holding the seat down
“Once the passengers had left the vehicle, officers got a better view of the issues.
“Unbelievably, there was a plastic dining chair in the aisle and 2 garden chairs in the luggage area. All incredibly dangerous.
“The police then seized the vehicle (for the driving licence issues and no insurance).
“Companies really can do better than use this kind of deathtrap.
“Do your research and find a reputable company for your next trip away to avoid this situation happening.”
It has since received over 300 likes and more than 170 comments from horrified social media users sharing their reactions.
One wrote: “Who the f**k would even think this was okay to have on the roads. Unbelievable.”
A second said: “Their minibus licence should be revoked if they are a company.”
Another commented: “Ouch. As a professional automotive engineer of 40-plus years, I’m right there with you on this one. This is the very definition of a death trap.
Having spent my professional life developing safety related components for cars and SUVs, it saddens me that people put their own lives and the lives of others at risk like this.
“I do sometimes wonder why I bothered.”
A fourth wrote: “That is absolutely lethal.”
Another added: “It’s very sad. Scary too.”
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has been contacted for comment.
