Drivers Have Mixed Reaction to NJ's New Inspection Policy

The state of New Jersey is no longer inspecting passenger vehicles for mechanical defects, instead opting to just check for emissions in an effort to save money.

KYW's Mike Dougherty reports that drivers had mixed reactions to the new policy, but count Bob from Riverton in the not-a-fan camp:

"I don't like it. There's too many cars on the road where people don't pay attention now, and I think it's removing safety from the road."

While New Jersey is one of 30 states to do away with mechanical inspections (see related story), the Garden State has by far the most drivers per square mile. With more than 6-million vehicles on the road, Bob believes far too many owners will let things slip:

"I had a buddy at work that had bald tires on his car and he didn't even pay attention to it. If you don't go to an inspection station, that kind of stuff is just going to go unchecked."

Others like Steve King from Medford say people will always find a way to keep unsafe cars on the road, inspections or not:

"I don't know what it might be, but I'm sure there's ways that people can skirt the way that the inspection system is now."

Drivers are still expected to keep cars in legal, working order and police will still pull over drivers for safety violations. Buses, taxis and other commercial vehicles will still undergo full inspections, but the state hopes to save $17-million annually by eliminating more than 2-million inspections.

(file photo)