Don’t alter frequency of inspections

This year, Gov. Tim Kaine introduced a bill in the General Assembly to change the Virginia state inspection from a yearly inspection of vehicles to inspecting them every two years.

The Virginia inspection program has been around since the 1930s and has been very successful because it is governed by the Virginia State Police. Troopers assigned to the Virginia State Police Safety Division see that the inspection stations meet certain standards and that the inspectors that perform the required inspections are qualified to do so.

The governor's proposal was to charge $20 for a two-year vehicle inspection instead of $16 each year. This change, according to media reports, would save the public money. By my calculations, the savings would be slightly over a penny a day.

All a Virginian has to do is travel in other states that don't have vehicle inspections to see how much "vehicular junk" is traveling on their roads. I was in another state recently and took note of all the vehicles that had lights not working or burned out, defective exhausts, improperly adjusted headlights, broken glass, slick tires and a multitude of other equipment visible to the eye.

Lord only knows what else was defective or improper, such as steering and brakes, that was not visible without closer inspection.

Certain other Virginia troopers assigned to the State Police Safety Division attend a special school to inspect or spot-check equipment only on motor carriers (trucks, busses, etc.) traveling along Virginia highways. Many of the semis are licensed to haul up to 80,000 pounds, including the truck's empty weight.

In the "old days," the motor carrier troopers didn't exist. All kinds of defective equipment on commercial vehicles was running up and down the highways of Virginia. These positions were created because there was a definite need.

There is a definite need for the annual inspection because if you think that the general public will abide by the "honor system" of fixing defective parts on their vehicles, you're sadly mistaken. The people will say "I'll fix it as soon as I get a chance" or "when I get the money to fix it" and probably have good intentions, but tomorrow never comes.

The honor system won't work without that inspection decal on the vehicle's windshield. Without the annual inspection, that light that burned out last month will still be burned out two years from now.

So Gov. Kaine, don't make the same type of mistake that Gov. Warner made in his term of office, that of closing some of the Virginia DMV offices; it just won't work.
"If it isn't broke, don't try to fix it."

Roger W. Mitchell Sr. is a retired state trooper and former sheriff of Culpeper County.