New law eliminates car safety checks and forces drivers to pay ‘replacement fee’ – vehicle owners call it a ‘big mistake’

DRIVERS in one US state are divided over a new bill that eliminates annual inspections of non-commercial vehicles.

Some say the inspections were a waste of time and resources – others say they were important for driver safety.

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Texas lawmakers signed into law House Bill 3297 last year, stating that non-commercial vehicles statewide would no longer be subject to mandatory inspections before being able to register them.

Instead, a $7.50 replacement fee will be added to the registration fee.

For a new vehicle that has not previously been registered with the state, the fee is $16.75 to cover two years of inspection replacement fees.

Revenue from the replacement fee will reportedly go toward Texas’ Mobility, General Revenue and Clean Air account.

However, it should be noted that the new law will still require vehicles from the 13 counties that require smog to pass an emissions test.

Texas, one of the largest states in the country, is home to 22 million cars – and inspections have evaluated tires, seat belts and brakes to deem them safe for public roads.

If an inspector detected a defect in a car, it would be barred from registration until it was repaired.

A 2017 study showed that vehicles considered unsuitable for public roads, such as vehicles with bald tires, were three times more likely to cause accidents, wrote the Texas Tribune.

For a state that has some of the most dangerous highways in the country, the inspections were a way to contain the number of fatalities.

“Most of our business it’s centered around making sure people’s vehicles are safe,” Charissa Barnes, owner of the Official Inspection Station in San Antonio, told lawmakers during a 2023 public comment session.

“We need to make sure their cars, the people joining us in Texas, are safe.”

Rep. Cody Harris, the bill’s author, said the inspections were a “waste” that opened the door for scammers.

“These inspections are a waste of time for the citizens of Texas and a money-making Ponzi scheme used by some shady dealerships to sell consumers unnecessary repairs,” Harris said in a statement to the ABC affiliate. KTRK-TV last year.

“Texans are responsible, fiercely independent, and I trust them to keep their cars and trucks safe while on the road.”

Sen. Nathan Johnson argued that the inspections were necessary to keep millions of Texas drivers safe.

These inspections are a waste of time for the citizens of Texas and a profitable Ponzi scheme used by some shady dealerships to sell consumers unnecessary repairs.

State Rep. Cody Harris

“It really won’t take long, and if they want to sell me a windshield wiper while I’m there, I’m fine,” he said, referring to the Harris scammers’ concerns.

“I would at least vote against this bill until one of you publishes a study that says they are not effective. The evidence I have seen says they are.”

Drivers responded to CBC affiliate KENS Facebook Coverage of the law change had mixed reactions, with many feeling that the change was unsafe.

“So many vehicle owners these days don’t take proper care of their vehicles. I see so many vehicles with lights off and other characteristics which were part of a thorough safety inspection,” one user wrote.

Another user criticized the emissions requirement.

“Emissions still need to be taken care of, which means you still may not have a check engine light, but you can have bald tires and bad brakes,” they wrote.

“It makes sense.”

Another person worried about their safety being surrounded by vehicles that may not have passed a mandatory inspection.

“Big mistake,” they wrote.

“Can you imagine all those unsafe cars and trucks on the road with you?”

The US Sun has reached out to the Texas Department of Public Safety for comment.