WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will soon initiate an update of its 1990 study, “NHTSA Should Resume its Support of State Periodic Inspection Programs,” at the request of Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.).
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) actively advocated for an update of the study. “The original GAO report issued in 1990 provided valuable information and recommendations. However, the characteristics of our nation’s vehicles and drivers have changed over the past 25 years,” said Steve Handschuh, president and CEO of MEMA. “We are very pleased that the GAO has chosen to review this report and thank Sen. McCaskill for her efforts.”
“In 1990, when the original GAO study was conducted, the average age of vehicles on our nation’s roads and highways was 7.7 years. Today, the average vehicle age is 11 years,” said Bill Long, president and chief operating officer of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA), the light vehicle aftermarket division of MEMA. “If not properly maintained and regularly inspected, motorists may be unaware of potential safety risks, particularly as vehicles get older.”
In her request for the study’s update, Sen. McCaskill specifically called on the GAO to address three crucial areas:
* The costs and benefits of state vehicle inspection programs
* The potential challenges posed by advanced technology in today’s vehicles
* Any actions taken by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the states to improve inspection programs, and recommendations for future NHTSA actions
“MEMA is very gratified to Sen. McCaskill for including these points in her request, which will be key to identifying the efficacy of state inspection programs in increasing the safety of our nation’s vehicles and the safety of everyone traveling the roads today,” said Ann Wilson, MEMA senior vice president of government affairs.
