Roadside Smog Test Checkpoint Pops Up In Davis

DAVIS (CBS13) — A checkpoint in Davis Thursday may have confused some people, but it provided a service to ensure cars aren't over polluting the air. It was set up between El Macero Drive and Cowell Boulevard Thursday morning.

With blinking emergency lights, orange cones and CHP officers standing post on a well-traveled road, most drivers thought the scene was a DUI checkpoint.

"We have a CHP officer on site for safety purposes mainly but he also randomly chooses vehicles into our lane," said Gordon Prow with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair.

In that lane, the Bureau of Automotive Repair provided smog checks and a roadside survey. The bureau has four teams that travel across the state conducting smog tests and surveys. Inspectors collect about 10,000 tests every year.

Prow explained that the smog checks did not give a pass or fail to the vehicles, and cars only had to wait about 10 minutes.

The checkpoint was all was part of California's plan to meet air quality standards. Officers stood in lanes to wave drivers over, but participation in the checkpoint was completely voluntary.

Cars that agreed to test drove onto a small ramp where a device recorded tailpipe pollutants. After the test, drivers got a report which detailed how their vehicle did.

Davis resident Tim Garrett was pleasantly surprised by the stop and said the hopes others did their part in participating.

"There are people who would try to get away with driving dirty cars," Garrett said. "I support this kind of program for sure."