Mississippi has no vehicle inspection and its starting to show.

The state got rid of vehicle inspections a few years ago. I started noticing more vehicles with no exhaust, then Mustangs with full on race pipes basically running hot laps on the street in front of my house. Now, I am seeing a lot of cars with no headlights. Not burned out bulbs, physically removed headlight housing.
Sometimes I se a car with no fenders, hood, lights, or exhaust.
It is barely running when it comes by. It won’t even idle.
Did it really ever matter, everyone knew someone who would take your $5 and slap the sticker on the windshield?