Help Repeal Vehicle Safety Inspections in Utah

[Stephen]

There is currently a Bill in the Utah House that would repeal vehicle inspection in the state. This, to me, would be a great thing. I have always found the requirment for vehicle safety inspections to be onerous and unnecessary. If anyone else feels the same, I'd encourage them to write their Representative and encourage them to support this Bill.

KSL Story on the Bill
HB298 Full Text
Legislator Lookup

 

[jmaxj]

i'd rather them get rid of emissions, or only do it once when you buy the vehicle. i can deal with inspections.

 

[skippy]

Im not sure how I feel about this. I have never had a problem with safety inspections and I have seen some way scary stuff on the road and I would be scared of some of the stuff that would likely be on our roads. At the same time I like the idea of backing off the governments power. So over-all I would have to say get rid of the safety inspections.

 

[TkMeHomePlease]

I would rather them do the safety.. Im sure there are alot of people that know what they are doing and that keep track of their cars and trucks brakes etc. I know that there are people who dont know what to look for with there brakes tires etc. I think they should still keep it , Besides they going to get the money for it anyways..

 

[Stephen]

I'd rather them get rid of both, but step one is to get rid of one or the other and lets face it, getting rid of emmisions would cause a huge uproar. Only 18 states and DC have safety inspections, so Utah is in the minority on this and I'd like to see us come in line with what most of the US is doing. And this doesn't mean that jalopies will be prowling the streets. If a vehicle is clearly endangering the safety of others on the road and a UHP or other LEO sees it, they can cite the individual.

 

[mesha]

I would like it to be gone. I have been waiting to unleash my willys jeep that has 127 inches of lift and 53 inch tires. All on a stock wheelbase.

 

[DOSS]

I am with Skippy... I don't like the government to have too much power but at the same time I see safety inspections as good ideas else most people would be rolling bald tires and poor brakes, bad steering joints.. problem is most of the people on the road don't know when their car is safe or dangerous...

 

[Stephen]

I would like it to be gone. I have been waiting to unleash my willys jeep that has 127 inches of lift and 53 inch tires. All on a stock wheelbase.

Doesn't change the lift laws.

 

[Stephen]

Let me point this out, California doesn't even have safety inspections. If a completely overbearing state like that doesn't have it, why should we? I get the argument that people who don't know will be driving around with bad tires, steering, ect. But I've driven extensivly through many of the states that do not have safety inspections and I've never felt endangered. I don't have numbers to say, "Well statistically speaking..." but I tend to think that since most people only own their cars on average for 3.5 years, don't service their own vehicles and take their cars to the shop for any knock or pop we won't be any worse off than we are now. Plus, we all get to save a few bucks each year by not having to pay some kid who knows jack and shit about vehicle maintenance telling us, "Well it seems your blinker fluid is low."

 

[mesha]

Doesn't change the lift laws.

As you stated earlier, one step at a time.

 

[airmanwilliams]

im in. I grew up in tillamook oregon and never did a safety or emissions test until 2 years ago when I moved here and we didnt have to register EVERY SINGLE YEAR. Im tired of having to put 200 or more into 2 cars for stupid little things that some kid says wont pass but clearly will. On another note on my samurai I had a harley davidson motorcycle carb on it and it did pass the sniff test but every shop I went to here in davis county wouldnt pass me because it wasnt the original equipment, in my opinion if a vehicle passes the levels that its year is required too then it should be signed off and let on the road.

 

[Seven]

This came up with a friend yesterday who is heavily into politics. His job has him meeting with all sorts of politicians a lot. He wanted to get my opinion which was get rid of it, until he told me what was going to replace it. according to him there is talk that if it is repealed then the vehicle registration costs will flip flop of what they are now. So your new cars will have low registration costs and he said anything over 10 years old would average over 200 to get it registered( reversing uniform fee). I haven't had time to look this up yet so at this point it is just hearsay. However I do know that he does spend his day dealing with politicians so It comes as a viable enough source that I want to look more into it. I would rather keep the safety/emissions than have to deal with a expensive registration for my older cars.

 

[Spork]

I don't think it's going to pass, too many nanny-state legislators in Utah. They might go for an every other year plan but I doubt they would just do away with inspection.

 

[Herzog]

I don't think it's going to pass, too many nanny-state legislators in Utah. They might go for an every other year plan but I doubt they would just do away with inspection.

Ironic how they tout "less government" but they turn around and make tons of baby-sitter laws each year.

 

[airmanwilliams]

This came up with a friend yesterday who is heavily into politics. His job has him meeting with all sorts of politicians a lot. He wanted to get my opinion which was get rid of it, until he told me what was going to replace it. according to him there is talk that if it is repealed then the vehicle registration costs will flip flop of what they are now. So your new cars will have low registration costs and he said anything over 10 years old would average over 200 to get it registered( reversing uniform fee). I haven't had time to look this up yet so at this point it is just hearsay. However I do know that he does spend his day dealing with politicians so It comes as a viable enough source that I want to look more into it. I would rather keep the safety/emissions than have to deal with a expensive registration for my older cars.

$200 plus for an older car would definately get me to move back to oregon soon.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I may be in the minority but I prefer having safety every year but emissions should be every other year, too many crappy cars would be allowed on the road if safety inspections were abolished. Law enforcement typically do not notice issues with cars and they should be tending to other issues anyway.

 

[Cherokeester]

There is little evidence that safety inspections reduce accidents. There are very few "safety" related accidents. Accidents happen because of bone headed drivers and environmental conditions. States without safety inspections do not have higher rates of accidents. So why have safety inspections? Revenue builder is the answer of course.

 

[JL Rockies]

In FL, they brought it emmissions testing for Broward County. It was so unpopular that it was gone within two years. The last I checked, my house in Ft Lauderdale wasn't under water due to a rising ocean.

 

[Kevin B.]

I don't mind somebody making sure my brakes work and my wheels aren't about to fall off. I strongly object to being rejected for a hairline crack in the side of my blinker lens, or for tires that stick out a millimeter too far, or for having "wheel spacers" that aren't wheel spacers, or for a rock chip that I didn't even notice until Pimpleface McHormone got out his magnifying glass.

Screw safety inspections.

 

[Stephen]

This came up with a friend yesterday who is heavily into politics. His job has him meeting with all sorts of politicians a lot. He wanted to get my opinion which was get rid of it, until he told me what was going to replace it. according to him there is talk that if it is repealed then the vehicle registration costs will flip flop of what they are now. So your new cars will have low registration costs and he said anything over 10 years old would average over 200 to get it registered( reversing uniform fee). I haven't had time to look this up yet so at this point it is just hearsay. However I do know that he does spend his day dealing with politicians so It comes as a viable enough source that I want to look more into it. I would rather keep the safety/emissions than have to deal with a expensive registration for my older cars.

Parts in "[]" are being modified. The only fee changes I see are changing motorcycle registration fees from $42.50 to $44 and light vehicles from $41 to $42.50. I see nothing about this $200 fee for vehicles older than 10 years.

41-1a-1206. Registration fees -- Fees by gross laden weight.
179 (1) Except as provided in Subsection (2), at the time application is made for
180 registration or renewal of registration of a vehicle or combination of vehicles under this
181 chapter, a registration fee shall be paid to the division as follows:
182 (a) [$42.50] $44 for each motorcycle;
183
(b) [$41] $42.50 for each motor vehicle of 12,000 pounds or less gross laden weight,
184 excluding motorcycles;
185 (c) unless the semitrailer or trailer is exempt from registration under Section 41-1a-202
186 or is registered under Section 41-1a-301 :
187 (i) $31 for each trailer or semitrailer over 750 pounds gross unladen weight; or
188 (ii) $28.50 for each commercial trailer or commercial semitrailer of 750 pounds or less
189 gross unladen weight;
190 (d) (i) $53 for each farm truck over 12,000 pounds, but not exceeding 14,000 pounds
191 gross laden weight; plus
192 (ii) $9 for each 2,000 pounds over 14,000 pounds gross laden weight;
193 (e) (i) $69.50 for each motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles, excluding farm
194 trucks, over 12,000 pounds, but not exceeding 14,000 pounds gross laden weight; plus
195 (ii) $19 for each 2,000 pounds over 14,000 pounds gross laden weight; and
196 (f) $45 for each vintage vehicle that is less than 40 years old.
197 (2) (a) The initial registration fee for a vintage vehicle that is 40 years old or older is
198 $40.
199 (b) A vintage vehicle that is 40 years old or older is exempt from the renewal of
200 registration fees under Subsection (1).
201 (c) A vehicle with a Purple Heart special group license plate issued in accordance with
202 Section 41-1a-421 is exempt from the registration fees under Subsection (1).
203 (3) If a motor vehicle is operated in combination with a semitrailer or trailer, each
204 motor vehicle shall register for the total gross laden weight of all units of the combination if the
205 total gross laden weight of the combination exceeds 12,000 pounds.
206 (4) (a) Registration fee categories under this section are based on the gross laden
207 weight declared in the licensee's application for registration.
208 (b) Gross laden weight shall be computed in units of 2,000 pounds. A fractional part
209 of 2,000 pounds is a full unit.
210 (5) The owner of a commercial trailer or commercial semitrailer may, as an alternative
211 to registering under Subsection (1)(c), apply for and obtain a special registration and license
212 plate for a fee of $130.
213 (6) Except as provided in Section 41-6a-1642 , a truck may not be registered as a farm
214
truck unless:
215 (a) the truck meets the definition of a farm truck under Section 41-1a-102 ; and
216 (b) (i) the truck has a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 12,000 pounds; or
217 (ii) the truck has a gross vehicle weight rating of 12,000 pounds or less and the owner
218 submits to the division a certificate of emissions inspection or a waiver in compliance with
219 Section 41-6a-1642 .
220 (7) A violation of Subsection (6) is a class B misdemeanor that shall be punished by a
221 fine of not less than $200.
222 (8) Trucks used exclusively to pump cement, bore wells, or perform crane services
223 with a crane lift capacity of five or more tons, are exempt from 50% of the amount of the fees
224 required for those vehicles under this section.