New York state should drop emissions inspection rule

Dear Editor,

New York’s annual emissions inspection on motor vehicles unfairly affects the less fortunate and should be eliminated.

Annual motor vehicle inspections began more than 40 years ago, for the sole purpose of keeping “unsafe vehicles” off the road, thereby preventing vehicle accidents and fatalities. This well-intentioned program is of limited value, especially in austere economic times, and the emissions test should be considered for elimination, as it serves no purpose in preventing vehicle accidents and fatalities. A failed catalytic converter does not make a vehicle unsafe.

The cost to taxpayers is not justified, and the emissions inspection does nothing to prevent accidents. It can be argued that emission inspections target the poor because they are more likely to be driving older cars, and less able to challenge a shop requiring unnecessary repairs.

Existing laws allow police to issue citations for unsafe vehicles. Statutes cover lighting, mirrors, mufflers, brakes, horns and tires. Comparison of insurance rates between states that require annual inspections and those that do not show no significant difference in premiums. When fatality rates are compared, there is no correlation between inspections and fatalities. In short, the annual vehicle safety and especially the emissions test has not been proven to benefit drivers in any way.

The people who lobby hardest for continuing this unnecessary program are the body shops and mechanics who stand to make a profit, as well as the justice courts that entertain “violations” against drivers for lapsed inspection stickers.

Why not use our tax dollars to implement a program that has a real benefit to our citizens and eliminate an expensive safety/emission inspection that has not proven to be of value?

I urge you to contact your state representative and senator to request your tax dollars be used wisely, and elect people who take a stand against the nonsense.

Zain Eisenberg Kerhonkson, N.Y.