It pinches the purse, but Missouri needs vehicle inspections | Opinion
Here’s what some could consider an unpopular opinion: The Missouri Senate should reject a bill that would eliminate mandatory vehicle inspections in Missouri.
House Bill 1838 recently passed out of the state’s lower chamber 104-43, and has already been read in the state Senate. Sponsored by Republican state Rep. Ann Kelley of Lamar, the measure would end routine safety inspections for personal vehicles except rebuilt salvaged ones, if approved by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Mike Kehoe.
Because this proposed law is gaining traction, anyone concerned about road safety around the state should contact their representative and oppose a bill that could conceivably lead to more road deaths.
$400 in repairs
My opposition against H.B. 1838 comes only weeks after my family forked over more than $400 in repairs so our youngest son’s 2012 Nissan Murano SUV could pass a safety inspection. We purchased the vehicle from a family friend for $2,500 and paid close to $350 in sales tax to get the vehicle registered. After we got insurance coverage for him, all we needed to get his license plates was a safety inspection, which proved to be a costly endeavor.
My 17-year-old and I visited a few different automotive repair shops seeking an inspection but were told we needed to schedule an appointment that was at least two to three weeks out. My teen son was way too anxious to legally drive his first car to wait that long, so we found a shop in south Kansas City that could fit us in the next day. We were told to leave the SUV overnight, and the next day one of the mechanics called with some unexpected news: The vehicle needed new rear brake pads and rotors and a new back windshield wiper blade to pass the inspection, the mechanic said. Then he told us the estimated price.
“Text your grandmother and let her know,” I recall saying to my son.
The situation was more of a hassle than need be. Like most working-class families, we didn’t necessarily have extra funds readily available for the repairs but in this instance we made it work. Despite the slight financial setback, I firmly support Missouri’s current law that requires biennial inspections of motor vehicles 10 years or older or with more than 150,000 miles on them.
Here’s the main reason Missouri shouldn’t repeal its vehicle safety inspection laws: States with mandatory inspections have lower traffic fatality rates, research has shown.
In fact, a 2020 Missouri State Highway Patrol report found states with vehicle safety inspections experience 10.4% fewer fatal wrecks per 100 million miles traveled and 21% fewer deaths per 100,000 population compared to states without safety inspections. None of us should ignore these very telling numbers. Vehicle inspections undoubtedly help keep all Missourians safer on the roads.
Burden on families
On the other hand, low-income families are unduly burdened and adversely affected by mandatory inspections if costly repairs are needed, studies have shown. Poor and rural Missourians would benefit most from a possible repeal by saving time and money, supporters of H.B. 1838 have said. Those in favor of the measure also contend the change would address another issue: the financial strain these inspections have on the shops that perform them.
In Missouri, the most a shop can charge for a vehicle inspection is $12, which is not very profitable, some garage owners contend. Because of this, none of us should be surprised when we get the news we need costly repairs to pass inspection. Most people around town expect repair shops to upcharge for service to turn a profit. That added expense could be considered the cost of doing business. We can’t be mad at that, I suppose.
After my family’s recent (and costly) experience with safety inspections, one would think I’d be a proponent of H.B. 1838 but I’m not.
And neither should other Missourians who care about road safety and saving lives.
