GM emails after the March 6 column that “you clearly missed in your article that the city of Albuquerque does, in fact, REQUIRE car inspections every time you renew your plates. Try adding some facts.”
Actually, Bernalillo County residents are required to get an emissions inspection every two years. There are no vehicle safety inspections in New Mexico.
Sean Donney in Sydney, Australia, shares “by way of comparison, here in NSW, all vehicles more than a few years old have to be inspected every year. The inspection includes a braking test and a window-tint darkness test, among other things. The inspector takes the vehicle for a short drive, too. I’m guessing some U.S. states would have a similar approach. It is a real nuisance each year, but it does get most of the unsafe vehicles off the road.”
Editorial page editor D’Val Westphal tackles commuter issues for the metro area on Mondays. Reach her at 823-3858; dwestphal@abqjournal.com; or 7777 Jefferson NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109.
