As of 1 Jan. 2018, Utah has done away with mandatory safety inspections. They continue to require emissions inspections.
Originally Posted By: EdwardC
No annual inspections here either. I wonder what the efficacy is of mandated annual inspections, surely there is a tax funded study out there...
Edit, Found one!
http://www.dot7.state.pa.us/BPR_PDF_FILE...fectiveness.pdf
Quote:
5.1 PROJECT FINDINGS
Based on the analysis presented in the preceding sections, it is confirmed that
Pennsylvania’s Vehicle Safety Inspection Program is an effective program that
reduces fatal crashes and saves lives in Pennsylvania. Although not addressed
through the available data, this benefit would also extend to a reduction in all
crashes which could be attributed to vehicle failure, and thereby a reduction in
serious injuries and property damage resulting from vehicle crashes.
The specific benefit to the citizens of Pennsylvania varies depending on the specific
model selected from Section 4.2. But, revisiting the hypotheses in
Section 4.1, we can make the following assertions:
Nationally, vehicle safety inspection programs appear to be a significant factor
in lowering fatal crashes;
Based on the model results, Pennsylvania can be expected to have between
115 and 169 fewer fatal crashes each year, corresponding to between 127 and
187 fewer fatalities each year, than it would if it did not have a vehicle safety
inspection program. (The range of fewer fatalities exceeds the range of fewer
crashes due to the presence of crashes with multiple fatalities);
The largest difference in reported vehicle failures at the scene of fatal crashes
is for vehicles of three years of age or more; and
The combination of state-level and county-level analysis of fatality data provide
consistent and complementary results.
The results of the research clearly demonstrate that the Vehicle Safety
Inspection program in Pennsylvania is effective and saves lives.
This is the first time I have seen a report that claims any real safety value to auto safety inspections. Every other report I have read has stated that there is no evidence to suggest that state auto safety inspections do anything to increase safety on the road. In fact some reports have went so far as to state that the only apparent benefit to safety inspections is income for auto shops that perform inspections.
A few years ago the Utah legislature made a previous attempt to eliminate the auto safety inspection. But the effort was defeated after a successful attack by the auto repair shops. Their entire platform was based on the loss to the state economy. They made no attempt at all to suggest that the safety of drivers and passengers was at risk.
