Bill to ban vehicle inspections wouldn't help DFW residents much
A bill to eliminate mandatory vehicle safety inspections awaits Gov. Greg Abbott's signature. North Texas drivers would still have to visit an inspector each year.
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DALLAS — Most Dallas-Fort Worth residents would still need to visit a vehicle inspector each year, even if Gov. Greg Abbott signs a bill to eliminate mandatory safety checks.
The Texas Legislature sent such a measure to the governor's desk Tuesday. It aims to save Texans an annual trip to the inspection station by removing the requirement from the state code.
But the bill would not save Dallas-Fort Worth residents time or money.
Under the proposal, Texans who forego an inspection would still pay the $7.50 fee when they renew their vehicle's registration. The tax ensures eliminating the requirement does not impact state coffers.
Texas is one of 13 states that mandate yearly vehicle inspections.
If the bill becomes law, drivers living in 17 Texas counties where air quality is poor will still have to visit an inspection station each year. Vehicles in these areas must annually pass an emissions test to meet state environmental requirements.
Of the 17 counties, nine are in the metroplex.
People who live in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant counties cannot renew their vehicle's registration unless it clears an emissions test.
Sanad Khirfan, who owns Slick's State Inspections and Auto Details in Irving, hopes drivers taking their cars for an emissions test would also choose to request a safety check.
"For most people, the biggest investment they make in their life is a house - and second, a car," Khirfan said. "If you care about that major investment you're going to carry for at least five years, I would definitely have it checked regularly."
The proposal, which would apply to cars registered after January 2025, is likely to hurt inspection station owners. Khirfan says his shop typically offers a solution to problems his inspectors discover, including tires and brakes.
Khirfan estimates roughly 20 percent of the 150 cars his team inspects each month do not pass. On average, then, his crew catches about one car each day that's unsafe to drive.
Source: WFAA.com
