"Speak Out" is an expression of opinion from the Editorial Board of WBTV, and is presented by General Manager, Nick Simonette.
This might be your situation: Your car is fairly new, never been wrecked, and is still under warranty.
So why would it need to be inspected for safety concerns?
A state report issued 3 years ago called North Carolina's inspection program "ineffective, and poorly managed and costly to motorists."
We'd like the see the system modified, if not eliminated altogether. Governor Bev Perdue agrees.
She suggests that vehicles 4 years old or newer be exempted from the $30 inspection.
And she's asked the DMV to provide a detailed assessment of the program to see if it's even needed at all.
17 states - including South Carolina - have abolished the inspections since the 1970s.
Motorists spent $106 million dollars last year on inspections, with the state taking a $30 million cut of that.
So you can be sure there's pressure in Raleigh to keep things just the way they are.
Those connected to the automotive industry - individuals and businesses that directly benefit from your inspection fees - donated more than $400,000 last year to select candidates for state offices.
And some of those candidates, like North Carolina Senate Majority Leader Harry Brown, have stood in the way of legislative proposals to end the program.
But with only 3% of all cars on our roads failing inspection, we think it's high time to put the brakes on inspections in North Carolina.
Tell us what YOU think. SpeakOut@wbtv.com.
