A recent law relieving new car owners from having to get emissions inspections might cause some turmoil in mechanics’ shops but will put around $9 million back into the purses and pockets of North Carolinians, according to the Charlotte Observer. Eleven states, ranging from Kentucky to Alaska have absolutely no laws requiring vehicle inspections. North Carolina’s new statute applies only to owners with cars and trucks manufactured in the last three years. In the past, this has accounted for a mere 10 percent of revenue from inspections. Of course, the state also piggybacks on the extra cash acquired from vehicle inspections, raking in $30 million annually.
There are always growing pains when trying to cut needless spending and redirect scarce resources towards more effective ends. But if the mechanics shops can invest in diversifying their services, free enterprise in the realm of automotive care will flourish. Shops will be forced to compete for customers, rather than rely on business that is artificially guarunteed by current regulation, and North Carolinians will have a few more bucks to save towards getting that new fuel-efficient car they want.
Is it just cars three years or newer or those with mileage under a certain amount?