After what some are calling a very long trial period, the state of New Jersey has decided to stop performing safety inspections on vehicles. This is pretty huge, since so many people had to annually fork over not only the inspection money, but also the cash for any repairs the shop found in their inspection. Sometimes these were legitimate safety concerns, but I'd love to know how many wiper blades were replaced prematurely thanks to a padded post-inspection bill. Those opposed to the cancellation of inspections also point out the safety concerns since major systems like brakes are among the parts of the car or truck that were inspected. New Jersey claims a very low fail rate, making it financially irresponsible to continue the practice. I, for one, would be happy about this if I lived in New Jersey.
Read more about this topic here on NJ.com.
A very low fail rate is to be expected. The hassle of getting repairs done and then getting a re-inspection is serious. For a few hours or a few days the car does not have a sticker at all, at least in my state, and the cops jump on that car. They do not care ‘Why,’ you are going to get a ticket and a trip to court even if the paperwork clears the charges. So much for a day off work, no pay, maybe lose your job. There is a once per year major effort by most of us to clear all possible problems in the few days before the inspection as a result.
With no inspections, there will be no repairs ever. Tail lights, brake lights, windshield wipers, brakes, tire treads? Who cares? Exhaust pipe/muffler leaking? All that stuff is outside the car anyway! Catalytic converter and emissions control devices? Just hurts gas mileage! Better mileage, less gas burned to make emissions!! Cracked or broken windshield or windows? Use tape or cardboard!! It will be fine!!
This is how most of us humans think. Agree or disagree, watch what happens.
Slick tires causing wrecks, no lights or brake lights to tell other cars what is going on, rear end collisions are the fault of the guy who hit you from the back, right? Not to worry! Windows all the way around that are difficult or impossible to see through, No big thing. The persons behind the steering wheel are completely absorbed in the cell phone, applying make-up, making notes on the electronic to-do list, reading the newspaper, anyway?
I’m glad I do not live in New Jersey any more. It is scary enough where the broken lights and taped glass and worn-out brakes and tires get fixed once a year.
Sounds fitting for New Jersy, not known for its smarts.
So mechanical failure will inevitably lead to increased New Jersey highway fatalities.
That’s fine with me as long as my transplanted daughter and my grandsons are not among those killed by irresponsible New Jersians.
I’ve lived in NY state for over 40 years and do all my own work on 8 cars. NY has a strict inspection law which drives me nuts. If a shop wants to fail you for brakes or chassis rust, there’s no arguing with them. If I feel they are being too fussy and just want a nice profit, I can take the car to another shop and they’ll pass it, saying they’ve seen a lot worse.
Besides that, in states with tough inspection laws, people can always find a dishonest shop which will take money under the table to issue a sticker if they know and trust you not to be an undercover state cop. I have yet to see any data showing higher fatality rates due to mechanical failures in the vast majority of states which don’t have an inspection law. You’d think if inspections improved safety enough to be worthwhile, all states would have them.
Show me the data and maybe I’ll change my opposition to inspections. It’s a huge hassle for me, especially with the cars I only drive a hundred miles per year to a few car shows. Don’t even get me started on my Porsches which have too little ground clearance to be driven onto a floor hoist! I have to bring my own floor jack and boards to drive the car up onto. Very few shops will let you do any jacking yourself, but I insist on it. I don’t want someone working on my car who knows nothing about it and who has never heard of a soft socket for magnesium alloy lug nuts. Sorry for the rant, but I feel better now;-)
We need NJ inspection. As Dusty pointed out, people prepare for the test. I feel better knowing that most of the other cars on the road had their brakes checked in the last 2 years. NJ also checks headlights (good idea with all these halogen lamps blinding nighttime drivers), tires, suspension, won’t let you out of there without a bumper on your car either – though many have tried.
Also, because NY, PA, and DE still have inspections, it’s likely that all their clunkers will get NJ registration to avoid inspections. Lots of PA folks register here already (and vice versa).
This hasn’t happened yet…why? They said it was supposed to happen July 1st and still there are no changes, what’s the status of this change?
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