What's the Deal with Smog Checkpoints?

Environmental Blog

Protecting the environment is something that the United States has pledged to support, and although there are varying opinion about how effective US environmental strategy has been, there are a few things affecting air quality and pollutant protection that have been put in place. Enter emissions control, a policy that curtails the amount of byproduct produced by vehicles and many industries in the US. If you haven't had a recent emissions inspection or feel as if you're not getting the right treatment because of emissions policies, here's some info about smog checkpoints and how they affect drivers.

Smog Checkpoints for Surprise Inspections

In states like California, smog checkpoints create a random screening process to get around the inevitable part of any policy: people cheating the system.

It just takes knowing the right people or slipping some money under the table to wave your vehicle off as emissions-friendly, especially when the conversion for your vehicle is expensive. Some people can't pass emissions tests without purchasing another vehicle or paying for a major overhaul of how the vehicle works, and others simply don't want to be controlled by a law they don't feel is relevant. Smog checkpoints can catch these perpetrators.

Smog checkpoints are like any other law-enforcement checkpoints. They're placed on roads that have few escape and turnaround points, and law-enforcement officers are able to direct drivers to the smog-checkpoint testing area. 

Understanding Smog-Checkpoint Results

One important thing to understand about smog checkpoints—at least in California—is that there is currently no penalty for the smog test results unless you're caught committing an actual crime. In relation to emissions, this would mean that your vehicle is caught leaking heavy amounts of fluids or that you're caught using some sort of illegal fuel.

Still, the smog checkpoint itself isn't going to get you a fine or put you in jail. It could be used as evidence if there's something to pursue, but going through a checkpoint with a vehicle that isn't perfect with industry-leading emissions control will not result in a fine. California motorists already pay for such checkpoints with an $8.25 smog-check certificate fee.

The smog checks are designs to measure how effective the emissions-control policies are and to decide whether laws governing how motorists regulate their vehicles is helping the environment. Although people who skirt the law are a problem for the policy, the checkpoints help measure how many of these illegal emissions control evaders are on the road in the average area.

If you want to make sure your vehicle is ready for a random checkpoint and want to make sure that you're not contributing to smog, contact a smog test professional such as West Coast Smog to get a vehicle analysis.

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17 October 2016