This editorial comes from The Daily Gazette in New York. The editorial board for the newspaper
EDITORIAL: No more extensions on vehicle inspections
New Yorkers have given up a lot during the coronavirus crisis. They shouldn’t be allowed to give up safety.
But that’s what the state is doing by continually extending the dates for when motorists have to have their vehicles inspected.
Motorists whose inspections expired in March have been granted regular exemptions for getting an inspection for months. Last week, the governor extended the exemption until Nov. 3. Who knows if he’ll extend it again?
Naturally, many of us are happy we don’t have to get our cars inspected. No forking over the 21 bucks for the inspection. No facing potential repair costs from bald tires or worn brake pads or a busted tail light or a faulty emissions sensor. We can drive right by the cops with our old sticker on the windshield and not worry about getting a ticket. But there are trade-offs to this little convenience. And the biggest is safety.
There are good reasons for the state to require motorists to get their vehicles inspected. It’s to ensure your car is safe for you and other drivers.
During inspections, mechanics check brakes, steering, the integrity of your chassis, front-end stability, suspension, the condition of your tires, lights and mirrors, your windshield for cracks and visibility, windshield wipers and emissions.