Tell Your Senator To Say No To Unnecessary Safety Inspections That Don’t Make Us Safer

When I first read about a bill to eliminate inspections, I had never questioned whether they make us safer. So I researched it, and was surprised to see that pretty much all of the studies over the past 30 years say the same thing: inspections don’t make us safer! That’s why there’s only 11 states left that require annual inspections like we do.

Repealing them would pay Granite Staters a dividend every year of at least $44m and a million hours of time.

Call or email your Senator this week, and tell them you support HB649 to get rid of this time and money sink! Also be sure to tell them that since inspections don’t make us safer, there’s no need to compromise and keep them in some form.

If you want more details and citations on any of this, see my written testimony (attached). My background includes a PhD in Computational Sciences & Statistics, and representing Amherst as a Regional Planning Commissioner for several years.

Evidence

• Studies over the past 30 years show a clear consensus: safety inspections no longer make us safer because cars and roadways have significantly improved.
• When NH started inspections in 1931, there were 11x more fatalities than today.
• Combine that with that the fact that only 2% of crashes are actually related to equipment failure, and you can understand why.
• In case you think that might be for just other states, our state safety experts who wrote the New Hampshire Office of Highway Safety Highway Safety Plan never once mention vehicle equipment or inspections, instead focusing on documented issues like impaired driving and speed.

Other states

• Next, as you know part of the American design is that states are laboratories of innovation. So we should look at what is working in other states and apply that here.
• We’re one of only 11 states left with annual inspections, and none of the 17 states that have repealed them since 1969 have brought them back.

Cost Savings

• Next, a conservative calculation is that HB649 will give back to Granite Staters over a million hours of time and $44m in savings EVERY SINGLE YEAR, likely much more. That’s like 500 people working full time without vacations, and a quarter of what we paid in interest & dividends tax.
• Our Senators should think of their constituents—families juggling jobs, caregiving, and the rising costs in housing, healthcare and food —forced to choose between rent and unnecessary repairs just to pass inspections so they can get to work.
• If you keep inspections on the books, you are requiring them to spend their limited time and money on a forced inspection EVERY YEAR with no clear public benefit.
• Tell your Senator that in the same way they value their time, voting for HB649 will show you that they value yours as well.

Addressing concerns with this bill raised at the public hearing.

Other Studies

• As a statistician, I have concerns with the studies cited last week in favor of inspections.
• First, the study cited by the Auto Dealers Association uses a model that focuses on outdated data from the 70s and 80s and received funding from companies profiting from inspections, raising concerns about its relevance and impartiality.
• Second, the CMU study on Pennsylvania inspections isn’t relevant as it didn’t examine safety outcomes.

Emissions testing

• Highway funding isn’t at risk; the inspection agreement with the EPA expired years ago, and air quality violations are a thing of the past

Insurance Mandate

• Another concern was that the scientific consensus may not apply here in NH because we don’t require auto insurance.
• Despite no mandate, NH has the 5th highest percentage of insured drivers.

Gordon-Darby

• A concern was raised about the Gordon-Darby contract. It includes a termination for convenience clause requiring only 30 days’ notice
• If this bill passes, though, the DMV could potentially continue to use the system for school bus inspections, relieving the need for the state police to do them.

Conclusion

• The scientific consensus is clear: inspections don’t make us safer, and most states recognized this long ago.
• Ending inspections will give Granite Staters back a million hours and $44 million annually, lowering our cost of living.
• Tell your Senator to show their constituents that they value your time by eliminating inspections. Vote yes on HB649; there’s no need to keep them.

Testimony on HB649

As a reminder, authors’ opinions are their own and may not represent those of Grok Media, LLC, GraniteGrok.com, its sponsors, readers, authors, or advertisers. Submit Op-Eds to steve@granitegrok.com

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