Originally Posted By: Shannow
I'd bet my left dangly that is NOT the reason for them dropping it.
A state that I used to live in had mandatory annual pit inspections at 2 state run, utterly impartial inspection stations...yep it was a pain, but they DID pick up useful stuff, like the rear proportioning valve failure in Dad's Renault, which was un-noticeable to the driver.
Chage in Govt, and longer queues meant that another station was required (was planned, but the inspection fee went into consolidated revenue, not saving up for a new centre).
So they dropped the first annual on new cars, then the second, then the third, then started issuing bypasses on a "random" basis, allowing queued vehicles to bypass inspection. Polish the car, black the tyres, and as long as your lights, horns and indicators worked, you got bypassed.
Eventually, they stated just what you are saying "annual inspections mean that the car gets looked at once a year, however if the Police can issue defects, people will be conscious of it all year long".
Problem is Police don't check balljoints, and brake effectiveness on stationary cars.
10 years later, they were blaming drivers for the accident rate which magically climbed sans inspections.
It's still illegalto drive =an unsafe vehicle, but nobody draws it to the average idiot's attention.
Whether or not they dropped inspections because they were or were not effective is immaterial. The state's motivation for dropping the inspection has no bearing on whether or not the inspections are an effective or a wise use of limited resources. Looking at compiled accident data seems to support that very few accidents are caused by mechanical breakdown. Of those that were, many would not have been prevented by inspections. You've got to weigh the costs of these things against whatever good you may be doing.
