SALT LAKE CITY -- A new bill introduced in the Utah State Legislature would end vehicle safety inspections in the state.
Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, introduced House Bill 319 on Tuesday, which would do away with safety inspections. In an interview with FOX 13, Thurston claimed the inspections cost consumers as much as $40 million -- with no proof they actually keep anyone safe.
"We've been looking for over a year now to try to find evidence as to whether vehicle safety inspections actually improve public safety on the roads. So far, we haven't found any evidence that it actually works," he said.
Thurston said he believed people may actually be putting off vehicle maintenance until they find out what is barely required under an inspection, instead of paying for ongoing repairs. HB319 would not end police's powers to ticket or impound a vehicle for problems like a broken headlight or tire problems, he said.
Emissions inspections would still be required even if this bill passes the legislature and is signed into law by the governor.
Utah, Texas and Hawaii still require vehicle inspections, Thurston said.
