Motor Vehicle Inspections Make a Difference
Missouri's motor vehicle inspection program has been successful since its inception. The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Driver and Vehicle Safety Division plays a major role in ensuring that vehicles operating on Missouri's roadways are safe to do so.
Motor vehicle safety inspections play an integral role in Missouri's traffic safety program. Each year, nearly two million vehicles are safety inspected in Missouri. These inspections are designed to detect mechanical or safety defects that if left unidentified could contribute to or directly cause a traffic crash. Approximately 19% of inspected vehicles have at least one defect identified during inspection.
A 2022 national study by Carnegie Mellon University indicates that states with some form of required safety inspection experience at least 5% less roadway fatalities. NHTSA reports that states with safety inspection requirements experience 10.3% fewer roadway fatalities per 100,000 population.
Trends Affecting Vehicle Safety
• Motor vehicles have become so complex that well-trained technicians with sophisticated equipment are often required to properly diagnose and repair modern vehicles.
• Many vehicles do not receive regular maintenance checks because of the decrease in full-service stations.
• Many motorists drive vehicles to a high mileage before removing them from the roadway, increasing the risk of safety component failure.
• The volume of traffic and dramatic increase of vehicle miles traveled places additional strain on vehicle systems.
The Patrol's Motor Vehicle Inspection Program
The Missouri State Highway Patrol oversees Missouri's motor vehicle safety inspection program. Licensing and monitoring of inspector/mechanics and inspection stations are key duties of the Driver and Vehicle Safety Division. Division personnel administer written and practical examinations to ensure inspector/mechanics are qualified.
In addition to monitoring and regulating the program, employees facilitate the sale and exchange of inspection stickers, perform VIN verifications and salvage title examinations, administer Missouri's School Bus Inspection program, and provide administrative support for the Gateway Vehicle Inspection Program.
Buyer Protection
Perhaps the most unheralded aspect of motor vehicle safety inspection is the consumer protection provided by the law's requirement that the seller is responsible for obtaining a motor vehicle safety inspection prior to sale of a used vehicle. Division personnel investigate numerous complaints each year regarding defective mechanical components on recently purchased vehicles.
Deterring Auto Theft
The Driver and Vehicle Safety Division administers the statewide VIN/Salvage Examination program. The program's purpose is to prevent stolen vehicles from being titled and to prevent stolen parts from being used in rebuilding wrecked motor vehicles.
School Bus Safety
Missouri law requires that every school bus used for the transportation of school children pass an annual safety inspection performed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. All school buses must be inspected by October 1 of each year.
Contact
Missouri State Highway Patrol
1510 East Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101
Phone: (573) 751-3313
Website: www.statepatrol.dps.mo.gov