David Strickland, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, recently told Automotive News that automakers must stay “within the zone of reasonable risk,” to avoid recalls.
This broader standard means not only adhering to the federal safety standards at the time vehicles are built, but also keeping up with the state of the art in design and technology among competitors.
A recent example of this more aggressive regulation is NHTSA’s request to Chrysler to recall 2.7 million vehicles, including 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees and 2002-07 Liberty SUVs, due to a fundamental design issue with a fuel tank mounted behind the rear axle. Other companies had abandoned this design after data showed that these types of vehicles had a higher risk of catching fire in a rear-end crash. Newsday reported that Chrysler initially refused the request, insisting the vehicles “met and exceeded all applicable requirements” of federal standards pertaining to fuel system integrity. NHTSA then gave Chrysler a June 18 deadline to issue a recall. On the day of the deadline, Chrysler announced that it would start a campaign to inspect and fix the 2.7 million Jeeps if needed. Though Chrysler never officially referred to it as a “recall,” it actually was, and it was actually the biggest recall so far this year.
The NHTSA, which is an agency under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is responsible for reducing deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes.
Also, in the news, the NHTSA also recently announced its plans to require automakers and motorcycle manufacturers to provide consumers with a free online tool – at SaferCar.gov – which will enable them to search recall information by Vehicle Identification Number [VIN] starting next year.
If you have been injured in any accident, which you believe was caused or made worse due to a defective automotive product, then you may want to consult with a product liability attorney to help you file a civil lawsuit.
