ASA/AASA Host Vehicle Safety Inspection Forum
Participants emphasize importance of inspection to vehicle safety.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA), ASA-PA and the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) – the light vehicle aftermarket division of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) – hosted the Vehicle Safety Inspection and Maintenance Forum in East Norriton, Pa., last month. ASA for many years hosted a Vehicle Safety Inspection Forum at the Congress of Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) in Las Vegas. The Vehicle Safety Inspection Forum was held simultaneously with an Emissions Inspection & Maintenance Forum at CARS.
ASA had a number of affiliates and shop owners around the United States that asked ASA to reinstate the annual Vehicle Safety Inspection Forum. As a result, last month’s Vehicle Safety Inspection and Maintenance Forum took place. There are 17 states with some form of vehicle safety inspection program. Pennsylvania has one of the best inspection programs in the nation. The state inspects almost 11 million vehicles per year through a decentralized network of authorized inspection stations including independent repair facilities.
Working with MEMA, AASA and ASA-PA, ASA put together a forum agenda that addressed many areas of vehicle inspection policy, including:
• Legislative.
• Regulatory.
• Law Enforcement.
• International Policy.
• Automotive Aftermarket.
• Independent repair shops.
• Perspective of Consumers.
Program speakers included:
• Mary Jo Daley, state representative, Pennsylvania.
• John Gross, corporal, the Springfield Police Department.
• Cathie Curtis, director of Vehicle Programs, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA).
• Kay Kishbaugh, chief of the Vehicle Inspection Division, Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
• Scott Clapper, director of Vehicle Services, Delaware DMV.
• Doug Woolverton, manager
of Northeast Division and director of Safety Inspection Equipment Division for Hunter Engineering Company.
• Bill Hanvey, senior vice president for Programs and Member Services. AASA.
• Trish Serratorre, president of NATEF/AYES.
• Tom Gebbie, shop owner and president of ASA-PA.
• John Icovetti, Pennsylvania Safety Inspection Advisory Board.
• Ross Wellwood, Delaware automotive trainer, host of the Car Doctor radio show.
Kishbaugh cited a PennDot study, completed by Cambridge Systematics in 2009, which studied the effectiveness of Pennsylvania’s safety inspection program. “Modeling shows that states with vehicle safety inspection programs have significantly less fatal crashes than states without programs. Nationally, vehicle safety programs appear to be a significant factor in lowering fatal crashes.” Specifically, with respect to Pennsylvania, the report noted, “Pennsylvania can expect to have between 115 and 169 fewer fatal crashes each year than if Pennsylvania did not have a vehicle safety inspection program.”
Curtis said about AAMVA’s inspection policy, “AAMVA recognizes that vehicle condition is a vital part of any overall traffic safety effort. Therefore, AAMVA recommends that member jurisdictions adopt and implement appropriate emissions, mechanical safety and structural integrity inspection programs to help ensure the safe condition of vehicles on the highway.
“AAMVA further recommends that jurisdictions strive to create consistent equipment requirements and inspection standards and training for inspectors, and that jurisdictions recognize and accept inspections performed in another jurisdiction that administers any inspection program that is substantially similar to its own program(s).”
Hanvey did an outstanding job reporting on a recent survey of service technicians, conducted by AASA, outlining important information about vehicle inspection. This included respondents’ views that “Tires were ranked highest of vehicle components for degree of failure.” Another important response was that “Service technician respondents believe that more than a quarter of cars operate in an unsafe manner.” The survey also noted what Woolverton also emphasized as critical to the future of vehicle safety inspection: 77 percent feel more education is needed about the importance of vehicle safety inspection programs.
ASA is planning a second Vehicle Safety Inspection Forum for 2015. To learn more about vehicle safety inspection or the recent forum, please go to ASA’s legislative website, www.Taking TheHill.com. In addition, the September issue of AutoInc. magazine has an informative article on vehicle safety inspection programs written by Holly Miller, legislative analyst. Access it at www.AutoInc.org.
Cathie Curtis, Director of Vehicle Programs, AAMVA;, Kay Kishbaugh, division manager, PA DMV; and Scott Clapper, Director of Vehicle Services, DE DMV. Photo Credit: Howard Pitkow.
Keith Heilveil, chairman, ASA-PA; Bill Hanvey, senior vice-president, Programs and Member Services, AASA; Tom Gebbie, presidnet, ASA-PA; Bob Wills, director, ASA Mechanical Division; Donny Seyfer, chairman elect, ASA; and Bill Moss, general director, ASA. Photo Credit: Howard Pitkow.
