Do you have an annual, mandatory, car/vehicle inspection in your country/state?

[levimax]

The reason that many states in the United States stopped mandatory inspections is because they don't do anything to improve safety https://www.theamericanconsumer.org/2019/06/do-mandatory-vehicle-inspections-really-make-us-safer/ but they do cost citizens money as well as time. States that continue with these programs are the usual suspects where raising revenue and control over citizens is more important than actually following the science.

 

[rdenney]

The reason that many states in the United States stopped mandatory inspections is because they don't do anything to improve safety https://www.theamericanconsumer.org/2019/06/do-mandatory-vehicle-inspections-really-make-us-safer/ but they do cost citizens money as well as time. States that continue with these programs are the usual suspects where raising revenue and control over citizens is more important than actually following the science.

Not necessarily—I reported annual safety inspections for at least one state of strongly libertarian reputation.

But various lobby groups (including consumers) all exercise their influence in every state. Frankly, I’d rather have that than hope for a bunch of lawyer/politicians to interpret science with any reasonable accuracy.

If inspections don’t work to keep bald tires and bad brakes off the road, it’s only because of the “case of beer” effect as reported by Restorer_John. But laws are often enforced unevenly, and that’s true everywhere.

Rick “generalizations are dangerous, including mine” Denney

 

[levimax]

Not necessarily—I reported annual safety inspections for at least one state of strongly libertarian reputation.

But various lobby groups (including consumers) all exercise their influence in every state. Frankly, I’d rather have that than hope for a bunch of lawyer/politicians to interpret science with any reasonable accuracy.

If inspections don’t work to keep bald tires and bad brakes off the road, it’s only because of the “case of beer” effect as reported by Restorer_John. But laws are often enforced unevenly, and that’s true everywhere.

Rick “generalizations are dangerous, including mine” Denney

While intuitively is makes sense that mandatory inspections should lead to better safety there is no evidence it actually helps at all. Since 94% of accidents are caused by driver error maybe people with cars that need repair know it and drive accordingly. This then makes mandatory inspections a political issue not a safety issue which I will leave alone.

 

[thewas]

This is true but how can the police decide if the tires are good or not on a parked car is a bit weird. If i remember correctly they have to measure the remaining "gummi" or something like that.

Usually they don't go into so much detail, especially nowadays where they have quite some other workload, but if obviously the tire profile looks bold it its easy to measure even on a parked car if its less than 1.6 mm.

 

[HorizonsEdge]

New York requires inspections every 12 months.

The check list is extensive!

 

[thewas]

Tires in the US also have tread wear indicators molded into the tread pattern.

I think everywhere in the world in the past decades?

 

[thewas]

While intuitively is makes sense that mandatory inspections should lead to better safety there is no evidence it actually helps at all. Since 94% of accidents are caused by driver error maybe people with cars that need repair know it and drive accordingly. This then makes mandatory inspections a political issue not a safety issue which I will leave alone.

Here in Germany a large percentage of cars fails the tests which could be an added danger source on the road if not controlled, even more at a country with highways with no speed limits, often some foreign cars are stopped in very dangerous condition. Also assuming that most people know that their car has a serious safety relevant issue and will and can drive/react accordingly is quite far fetched in my experience, for example even here in Germany I not rarely see cars with too low tire pressure on the street which a conscious and experienced driver would immediately notice.

 

[Willem]

I don't quite understand the resistance. Your car needs a serious annual service in any case, and this can simply be part of that. In fact, the checklist for the mandatory test is shorter than what a serious garage would do anyway. I drive a 24 year old car that is maintained properly (and never really gives any trouble), and the fact that somebody randomly looks over the shoulder of the mechanics in the garage gives me a litle bit of extra peace of mind. And it also stops others from driving in wrecks. Since it is part of the annual service there is no additional charge either (as far as I know but I never look at the bill other than to hear what needed to be done). And as for tyres, I do prefer them to have more tread than the legal minimum, and my garage knows that.
I do remember from my days in North Carolina that the test there was pretty perfunctory. I also remember quite a few dangerous wrecks on the road.

 

[levimax]

Here in Germany a large percentage of cars fails the tests which could be an added danger source on the road if not controlled, even more at a country with highways with no speed limits, often some foreign cars are stopped in very dangerous condition. Also assuming that most people know that their car has a serious safety relevant issue and will and can drive/react accordingly is quite far fetched in my experience, for example even here in Germany I not rarely see cars with too low tire pressure on the street which a conscious and experienced driver would immediately notice.

Maybe it is different in Germany but in the US there is no evidence that mandatory inspections improve safety. Are their statistics in Germany that accident rates went down after implementing mandatory inspections?

 

[Willem]

I am not sure that it would be easy to see that econometrically, if only because these tests were introduced ages ago. What happens in both Germany and the Netherlands is that many older cars get exported. Older German cars are popular in Eastern Europe (where you see many of them in pretty bad shape, fuming Diesel smoke because the filters have been removed), whereas French cars such as I drive mostly go to Africa. In both cases it is the lower labour cost in those countries that makes it viable to repair them there when that is no longer the case here. And perhaps also the lack of strict mandatory testing.

 

[thewas]

Maybe it is different in Germany but in the US there is no evidence that mandatory inspections improve safety. Are their statistics in Germany that accident rates went down after implementing mandatory inspections?

There are no meaningful for the current situation ones as those exist here more than 40 years. You still have accidents though through technical failure which imply the correlation, am sure even in the US, if not more? I don't think anyone will doubt that with such checks you will have less failures and related accidents, the only question to be discussed is how many and if their "extra cost" is worth it.

 

[Chrise36]

According to Michelin too many tires are been changed while they could be used: https://michelinmedia.com/the-truth-about-worn-tires/

 

[Gorgonzola]

In Ontario, Canada, for passenger vehicles it's for emissions only, every 5 years.

 

[BlackTalon]

If there's a bald patch, then the whole tyre is scrapped. In the UK, the minimum legal tread depth is 1.6mm across the centre three quarters of the tyre footprint. Likewise, European standards require tyres to be manufactured with a visual indicator allowing drivers to know when the tread has worn down to 1.6mm or less.

It's measured at two or three points round the tyre, so quite doable with a parked car if the Police can be bothered.

I normally change my tyres at no less than 2mm, using a tread depth gauge, and I always change both tyres on an axle even if the other one is worn less. My car uses run-flats and doesn't have provision for a spare wheel so I'm sensitive to keeping my tyres in good condition. I generally get over 40,000 miles to a tyre, so not too onerous.

S.

unless the roads are wet or icy the car usually will have better grip as the tread depth reduces. If only we could prevent precipitation...

 

[restorer-john]

According to Michelin too many tires are been changed while they could be used: https://michelinmedia.com/the-truth-about-worn-tires/

Michelin would know! I just put 4 new Michelins on my car. What do I get for that? 7.3mm of brand new tread with a legal minimum of 1.5mm, so in reality I get 5.8mm of usable rubber for AU$900. Ouch.

Tyres just fitted:

 

[Doodski]

Michelin would know! I just put 4 new Michelins on my car. What do I get for that? 7.3mm of brand new tread with a legal minimum of 1.5mm, so in reality I get 5.8mm of usable rubber for AU$900. Ouch.

Tyres just fitted:

View attachment 217852

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I had issue with a pair of medium duty "walking boots" as they where advertised that I bought for $275. I was having difficulty getting warranty service due to the heels being full of air and wearing down in 2.5 months of walking every night. Soooo. I analogized the boots to a car tire for less money and how car tires last. The manufacturer rep had no idea what to say and shortly after I received a refund. (Vasque boots) Comparatively speaking car tires are a bargain...lol

 

[RayDunzl]

I'm amazed that tires last more than 10 or 20 miles, myself.

Got 85,000 miles out of the original Toyo tires on a 95 Maxima, for what it's worth.

 

[Doodski]

I'm amazed that tires last more than 10 or 20 miles, myself.

Got 85,000 miles out of the original Toyo tires on a 95 Maxima, for what it's worth.

That's great. I got ~130,000 km (85K miles.)out of stock tires on one car and I rode them hard and squeeled them around corners as much as I could possibly do. Lots of hard driving and highway miles on them.

 

[sonitus mirus]

It seems like a money grab and something else to indirectly tax. In Virginia, only 5 of the 95 counties have emissions inspections. These counties are located in mostly affluent areas with relatively large populations. Unfortunately, I reside in Loudoun County, which has a ridiculously high cost of living and it includes emissions tests. With some exceptions, generally a new car is exempt for 4 years, and any passed test is good for 2 years.

My little German "enthusiast" vehicle is coming up on the end of its 4-year exemption, and I am certainly not going to pass the inspection with the current installation of racing parts and the associated ECU software modifications I have been enjoying. I'm travelling down to Florida sometime in the next few weeks and will potentially sell it or trade it in if things go as expected.

 

[raindance]

It seems like a money grab and something else to indirectly tax. In Virginia, only 5 of the 95 counties have emissions inspections. These counties are located in mostly affluent areas with relatively large populations. Unfortunately, I reside in Loudoun County, which has a ridiculously high cost of living and it includes emissions tests. With some exceptions, generally a new car is exempt for 4 years, and any passed test is good for 2 years.

My little German "enthusiast" vehicle is coming up on the end of its 4-year exemption, and I am certainly not going to pass the inspection with the current installation of racing parts and the associated ECU software modifications I have been enjoying. I'm travelling down to Florida sometime in the next few weeks and will potentially sell it or trade it in if things go as expected.

I used to live in Middleburg and even though it's a ripoff there in Loudoun County, I think it's worse here in Wake County NC!