Almost 40 per cent of the farm vans checked recently by government inspectors in the Fraser Valley failed to meet safety standards, according to a B.C. Ministry of Transportation report.

The random spot checks began after three farm workers died in an accident last month on the Trans-Canada Highway near Abbotsford.

Three women died last month when the van taking them to work flipped over on the Trans-Canada Highway near Abbotsford.
(CBC)

The inspectors pulled over 180 vans between March 15 and 23. Sixty-seven failed the inspections and were ordered off the road. The infractions ranged from faulty brakes to drivers not having a proper licence.

Charan Gill of the Farm Workers Union, who had lobbied for the spot checks, said he knew some vehicles wouldn't pass. But he is surprised the number of problems was as high as it was.

"I was thinking out of 100 vans, maybe 10 per cent of people are negligent and maybe 10 per cent are out of order, not 37 per cent. This is very alarming."

The operators of those vans have been ticketed and fined. But Gill said that's not enough, noting that even now, there are still farm workers riding in vans that are overloaded or have no seatbelts.

"It's quite clear now to the Ministry of Transportation and traffic police that they have to constantly check these people all the time. If they relax a little bit, the same thing will happen all over again."

A ministry spokesman said the random road checks are ongoing.