New Bill Would Make Recall Repairs Mandatory

A new bill is aimed at increasing the rate at which consumers get their recalled vehicles repaired. The Repairing Every Car to Avoid Lost Lives, or RECALL Act is intended to prevent consumers from being able to register their recalled vehicles unless they have them repaired. Specifically the bill, would “require state Departments of Motor Vehicles and state motor vehicle registration agencies to notify vehicle owners of open safety recalls to help ensure that owners get the safety recalls remedied.”

If motorists wanted to renew their registration, they would need to have their recall work completed before they could have that done. It’s meant to feel similar to emissions testing.

The bill would certainly increase the amount of traffic at dealerships for recall repairs since it represents a repair mandate verses a suggestion. The same two U.S Senators that have been very vocal about automotive safety and recalls during the past four months introduced the bill before the U.S. Senate on Monday. Democratic Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut are co-sponsoring the bill. These lawmakers were very vocal in their support of an expanded recall for Takata airbags. Speaking about the RECALL Act, Senator Markey said in a statement, “The RECALL Act will help prevent any more avoidable deaths from unrepaired recalls.”

According to Reuters, just fewer than 64 million vehicles were recalled in 2014, however, about one-third of those vehicles are still not repaired. It’s also estimated that one in seven or about 34 million recalled vehicles that are unrepaired are currently operating on U.S. roadways. Rick Schostek, Executive Vice President of Honda North America, Inc. said in a press release, “Senators Markey and Blumenthal’s initiative will help us all achieve the critical goal of completing 100 percent of every automotive recall campaign in America … when it comes to ensuring that safety-related recalls are completed, automakers, government and concerned citizens need to work together to protect drivers, passengers and others on the road.” This federal law would withhold funding to any states found to be in non-compliance.