Preventive maintenance and corrective repairs for motor vehicles are frequently inadequate, and a substantial number of vehicles are operated on public thoroughfares in an unsafe condition. International road traffic is impeded by a lack of universal safety standards.
Commonly existing discrepancies between national safety standards allow for: unsafe, worn tyres; inadequate headlamps, passing and signal lights; and the absence of other safety features such as belts, roll bars, and fire extinguishers.