Mike Kirby: Let's scrap auto inspection system

Tourist agencies north of Boston had a slogan: "There's a lot to like about Lowell."

Well, maybe, but there's a lot to be proud of in Massachusetts.

This is where colonists first realized that they didn't need to be beholden to the motherland, that they were Americans, not British. As one patriot put it, a continent shouldn't be ruled by an island.

Massachusetts was among the first states to abolish slavery, in 1783, not long after Pennsylvania.

And 20 years ago, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage.

There's a lot to like about that.

Still, Massachusetts government is far from perfect, especially on one big issue. Don't get me started about the Beacon Hill politicians who insist on enforcing the state's open meeting laws on the local zoning boards of appeal but won't open their books or unlock their doors to the backroom meetings where horse trading takes place on everything from the nearly $60 billion in taxpayer money spent each year to major policy questions like free lunch for students or free community college tuition.

No, let's take a look at a little thing, something that affects nearly every suburbanite but is, I'm sure, completely off the radar on Beacon Hill: Let's drastically reduce or even eliminate the state's auto inspection system.

Today's inspection system is a throwback to an earlier era when cars were far less safe and had none of the technological advancements of the 21st century computers on wheels that we drive today.

Requiring owners to get a sticker every year should become a thing of the past. The state should study the system to see if inspections can be drastically scaled back or abolished entirely because it is an unnecessary and costly burden on the driving public.

Inspections began during an era when many cars did not even have seat belts or they were not required while driving. Mechanical failures were frequent back then so an annual inspection was needed to make sure steering, braking, suspension and signaling were operative.

One of my first cars was a 1964 Volkswagen Bug. I always parked it on a slope because I could never be sure the engine would start in the morning. Letting it roll a little and popping the clutch would allow it to start, first time, every time.

If it had seat belts, I never wore them. And I can only imagine what the emission levels were.

Back then, getting a sticker was a necessary public safety measure.

Today, seat belts are just the start of a revolution in automotive safety that has taken place since the early 1990s. There are just 14 other states — including Rhode Island and New Hampshire — that still conduct periodic inspections while two others require an inspection when a vehicle is sold.

The most basic cars today have air bags that deploy at even a minor crash. Anti-lock braking and electronic stability control systems assist drivers in dangerous skidding situations.

Modern vehicles warn drivers when they drift from lanes and detect other cars approaching from a blind spot. Back-up cameras help drivers avoid fender benders in the parking lot.

Most importantly, cars built in the last 25 years operate longer and more efficiently than your grandfather's vehicle.

Fifty years ago, it was considered a major accomplishment for any vehicle to accumulate 100,000 miles. Today, there are automakers willing to offer 100,000-mile warranties. Car and Driver magazine says the average vehicle today should last at least 200,000 miles with just routine maintenance.

There doesn't appear to be any safety reason to retain the inspection system. A study by the auto insurance industry found no difference in traffic fatalities or in accidents caused by mechanical failure between states that require automobile inspections and those that don't.

Come on, Massachusetts, this isn't revolutionary like breaking off from England, abolishing slavery or equalizing marriage rights. This is getting a little piece of the government off our backs.

Let's stick stickers in the dustbin of history.