THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 19, 1994 TAG: 9409170005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 32 lines
Regarding your Aug. 31 editorial on Virginia auto inspections:
More than 80 different safety checks are performed on the average vehicle, as Virginia directs. Each check is no less important than the next!
Taking this into consideration, I find it unrealistic to believe that the average vehicle owner would or could comply with a voluntary safety inspection program.
With the exception of the mechanically inclined, how would many owners determine the condition of their brakes, steering components, tires, etc? How many owners would just not care?
How many vehicles would be on our roads in a year, suffering major component failures?
Let us not forget that these annual inspections apply to every vehicle registered in Virginia. These vehicles include motorcycles, cars, enormous 26-wheel tractor-trailer configurations - and the school buses that transport our children.
Ten dollars a year is a small price to pay for such peace of mind.
THOMAS L. GALBREATH
Chesapeake, Sept. 10, 1994 by CNB