Two recently filed companion bills in New York would require if passed, the state’s commissioner of motor vehicles to conduct a study to review if safety inspection requirements need to be updated. 

A8190 and S09436 were both filed in mid-May. Both have been referred to committees, where each currently sits. 

The Assembly bill said the study should include:

• • An examination of whether additional inspection items should be included
  • Whether inspection items should be modified
  • An examination of the maximum fee that the commissioner authorizes to be charged by an official inspection station
  • Sufficiency of such fee in balancing the cost of such safety inspections to both consumers and official inspection stations

The study should be completed no later than a year after the effective date. Findings and recommendations should be submitted to the governor and legislative leaders in both the Assembly and Senate. 

Currently, the state requires an inspection every 12 months, or when a vehicle is registered in a different name.

Inspections include: 

• • Seat belts 
  • Brakes 
  • Steering, front end, suspension, chassis, frame and wheel fasteners
  • Tires
  • Lights
  • Windshield and other glass
  • Windshield wipers and blades
  • Horn
  • Mirrors
  • Fuel Leaks 

The Automotive Service Association released a letter supporting the bills. 

“ASA strongly supports vehicle safety inspection programs and advocates for policies that would update inspection requirements to account for new technologies, such as ADAS sensor calibration,” the letter says.

IMAGES

Photo courtesy of Aneese/iStock