Texas is one of the few states that still requires yearly safety evaluations for noncommercial vehicles.
Lawmakers in Texas have approved a compromised version of a bill that seeks to do away with yearly vehicle safety inspections, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The proposal has made its way to Governor Greg Abbott, who has reportedly not signed the bill into law as yet.
If passed, the new bill would do away with the annual safety inspection for noncommercial vehicles. As per the report, the compulsory inspection would have come to an end in September, but it has since been pushed back to January 2025. Texas is one of just a few states that require motorists to put their vehicles through a safety test. This is no longer a requirement in Florida, but Delaware still requires a yearly inspection.
Opponents argue that eradicating the safety inspection will lead to more unsafe cars on Texan roads. These tests inspect components like the horn, windscreen wipers, brakes, tires, and other important equipment. However, Rep. Mayes Middleton, a Republican from Galveston County, argued against that point.
“Vehicle inspections are a costly and time-consuming process that [provides] little benefit to public safety,” said Middleton to lawmakers.
If the bill were to be passed, motorists in several areas will still be required to subject their vehicles to emission inspections. This includes the Tarrant, Dallas, and Parker Counties. Should safety inspections be discontinued, the Texas Mobility Fund (which finances the construction of highways) would lose funding. The bill makes concessions for this, with a fee that drivers would pay when registering their cars.
Whether this is a good idea remains to be seen, but it will be a lot easier for a clapped-out Toyota Corolla with bald tires and non-functioning wipers to hit the road. Owners of unroadworthy vehicles will only have to look out for the cops now and not worry about the annual safety inspection.
Interestingly, Texas has recently passed a bill that affects buyers of electric vehicles. Aside from a $400 tax (placed on top of the regular taxes), owners will have to pay an additional $200 annual tax after that. This is to ensure that pure EVs (not hybrids) are contributing to the state highway fund. Currently, combustion-engined cars contribute via the 20-cent tax on gasoline, but the annual fees are far below what EV owners are being forced to pay.
In these cash-strapped times, Texan motorists can look forward to lower yearly bills related to their vehicles. Hopefully, lawmakers aren't shooting themselves in the foot and opening the floodgates for neglected deathtraps.
Keyword: Texas Seeks End To Annual Vehicle Safety Inspections