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Bill would reduce frequency of auto inspections

Posted at 8:36 PM, Mar 04, 2012
and last updated 2012-03-04 23:51:33-05

A new bill would reduce the number of times a vehicle is required to get inspected.

There used to be 31 states that had car inspection programs similar to Utah's, but that number has been reduced to 17. Utah is the only state west of Texas to have a periodic inspection program, but that doesn't make Utah's roads the safest in the west.

"Washington State, California, Colorado, and so forth. There are many states that have safer roads than Utah does. None of these states in the west have a periodic inspection program," said Rep. John Dougall, R-American Fork.

Vehicle owners in Utah have to have their cars inspected every other year for the first ten years then every year after that. The bill, sponsored by Dougall, would reduce the number of times an inspection is required. The bill also increases registration fees per car.

"What this bill proposes is that we do inspection on years four, eight, ten and 12 and every year thereafter," said Dougall.

Dougall had initially suggested removing the inspection program altogether, but the current state is a compromise after statistics suggest cars can get more dangerous as they get older.

The measure passed the House 52-18 and is now headed to the Senate.