CAWA, the Auto Care Association and members of both associations met with the chief of the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) and his team last week to discuss the possibilities of establishing a vehicle safety inspection program in California. 

Recognizing this could be a “heavy lift,” those in attendance did agree, however, that safety inspections could impact auto safety and fatalities on the roads of California. After a robust and candid conversation with the BAR representatives, the assembled group, coordinated by CAWA, also agreed to develop a game plan on pursuing safety inspections in California. 

Some preliminary features of the plan would be to:  

• Develop a coalition of supporters for safety inspections; 

• Assess the legislature’s and governor’s office’s appetites for supporting a program; 

• Look for support of state administrative agencies, such as the California Highway Patrol, Office of Traffic Safety, etc.; 

• Determine the interests of consumer groups; and 

• Continue communicating with the leadership team of BAR. 

CAWA will be reporting on progress of the coalition’s efforts to establish a safety inspection program in the weeks and months ahead.