Utah lawmaker looking to loosen safety inspection requirement

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah drivers would not have to have their cars inspected as often, or ever again, under a proposal being drafted by a Utah County lawmaker.

Rep. John Dougall, R-Highland, is working on a bill that would loosen the requirements for vehicle safety inspections. No exact language has been set in stone yet, he said, but legislative staff are considering options like requiring inspections every 5 years or abolishing them altogether.

He said he hopes to have a draft prepared in August and a firm bill ready for interim committee review by October at the latest.

"I'm open for input and recommendations," Dougall said in an interview with The Deseret News on Thursday.

Current law requires that vehicles newer than 8 years old be inspected every two years and older cars be inspected annually.

Dougall said the data do not suggest that safety inspections lead to safer roads. Very few automotive accidents occur due to mechanical failure, while the overwhelming majority stem from user error.

"The studies basically show there is no difference," Dougall said. "We're doing something because we think it's a good idea but the data doesn't show any difference."

Seth Vermillion, owner of Utah Safety & Emissions testing in Utah County, suggested Dougall might have a different perspective if he spent a day in his shop. Vermillion said that during the typical inspection season, his shop fails 17 percent of vehicles for safety violations. That's nearly one out of every five cars.

"The older (the vehicle) gets, the higher that goes up," he said.

Utah is one of 19 states that require a vehicle safety inspection. Besides Texas, it is the only Western state with such a requirement. Currently, inspections cost $17, with $2 going to the state for the Utah Highway Patrol and Transportation Fund, according to state statute. Dougall said in the absence of a safety inspection, funds for the UHP could be recouped in other areas, such as increasing the cost of vehicle registration by 75 cents. For the Utah driver, that would still be an annual savings of more than $16.

Dougall said eliminating the inspections is more than just saving money for drivers.

"It's not just $17, it's $17 plus people's time," Dougall said.