This obligation was introduced on foot of an EU requirement. Tests of fast tractors are due when they are four years old and thereafter every two years.

Compulsory testing applies to those tractors used in a public place at any time for transporting a load that is not related to on-farm agriculture, horticulture, forestry, farming or fisheries operations. This means that tractors being used for haulage purposes are now within the scope of compulsory roadworthiness testing.

In early August, the RSA wrote to the registered owners of tractors in the general haulage tax class advising them of the new requirement and distributed a leaflet explaining the new requirements at the recent Ploughing Championships.

To date, 38 tractors have been tested. 10 (or 26%) passed at the first attempt. The remaining 28 failed, 6 of which had defects so severe to warrant issuing a fail dangerous result meaning that they presented an immediate risk to road safety.

The most commonly occurring defects so far include worn steering joints, followed by identification related defects such as missing number plates and speed discs, and lighting related defects such as malfunctioning brake lights.

Remember, even if a tractor is not subject to compulsory testing, it must be maintained in a roadworthy condition if used in a public place.

The RSA is reminding farmers and contractors that when using tractors in a public place they are as likely to be stopped and inspected for roadworthiness as any other vehicle. If your vehicle is defective, you risk being prosecuted and prohibited from using it until repairs have been carried out.

Farmers and contractors are therefore advised to conduct regular preventative maintenance checks and take their tractors to a CVRT testing centre for a voluntary inspection. Following this inspection, a tractor will be issued with a test report indicating whether the items inspected were roadworthy.

By doing so, you will not only comply with the law but also increase road safety and reduce the major expenses caused by vehicle breakdowns, inconvenience and prolong the working life of your tractor.

For more information about the test and legal requirements, including a list of CVRT centres spread throughout the country and authorised to conduct tests on tractors, visit www.cvrt.ie

These centres will be able to assist you with queries.