Did eliminating vehicle safety inspections influence rising highway fatalities in New Jersey? One observer says it’s a possability.

Sal Risalvato, head of the New Jersey Gasoline, C-store and Automotive Association says many of his members run repair facilities. They tell him some customers still ignore needed fixes for brakes, tires and other safety systems even after being reminded. Risavlato concedes he cannot pinpoint the mvc’s dropping of safety inspections as a factor in the increase in highway fatals. He says, “What I am saying is certainly it causes officials, motorists and citizens to think an pause, is there a correlation?”

“The advantage our members possess stems directly from their time repairing the vehicles we see on our roads daily. I am contacted regularly by members commenting on the condition of the cars that show up at their shops. Most of them have simple mechanical repairs that are easily fixed. Many others, however, show up at garages all over the state with serious safety issues that are disregarded by vehicle owners,” said Risalvato.

He suggests new jersey may have to rethink the elimination of vehicle safety inspections in light of the uptick in fatals.

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