They are only allowed to drive 30 km/h. Even though the EU says 45 km/h. Now it turns out that the Swedes' A-tractors are full of visible defects.
The particularly Swedish vehicles, known as A-tractors, are often full of defects that go beyond road safety when the owners bring them in for inspection.
It is a study conducted by Bilprovningen that now reveals the worrying trend.
The number of A-tractors in Sweden has doubled in four years and is now up to 56,000. At the same time, the number of faults and defects requiring inspection is increasing.
The vision chain writes this in a press release .
Bilprovningen inspected 4,000 A-class tractors in 2024, and the results are alarming. A full 72.9 percent had defects of some kind. Even more worrying is that 57 percent, corresponding to 6 out of 10, had such serious deficiencies that they had to undergo at least one inspection.
– During inspection, we find that A-tractors are often modified compared to other vehicle types. Examples of this are that the engine has been modified so that the vehicle can drive faster than the permitted 30 km/h.
– Or more seats have been installed in the car, says Per-Anders Blommefors, who is responsible for inspections at Bilprovningen.
The most frequent faults found by inspectors are in the braking system and the car's tires. Faults in these systems pose the greatest risk to road safety.
Another common fault is problems with the lights on the cars. The proportion of comments about this kind in the inspection reports has increased from 86 to 90 percent. According to Bilprovningen, it is especially important that the lights work on the slower vehicles.
"The inspection statistics for A-tractors are worrying. But by drawing attention to the figures, we hope to increase focus among the car owners and their parents, so that the development can be reversed in the long term," says Per-Anders Blommefors.
The investigation by Bilprovningen emphasizes the need for increased focus on the safety of A-class tractors. It is crucial that both owners, parents and authorities take responsibility for ensuring that these vehicles are in good condition, the synskæden believes.
A possible solution could be to introduce stricter requirements for the inspection of A-class tractors. This could include more frequent inspections and more thorough inspections, Bilprovningen believes.
Another solution could be to increase safety awareness among tractor owners. This could be done through information campaigns and education.
Regardless of what measures are taken, it is crucial to act quickly to improve the safety of A-tractors in Sweden. Because the cars are extremely popular among Swedish youth, and according to the EU, the cars must also be allowed to drive at 45 km/h. Read more about it here .