Safe Cars Save Lives: Drivers Should Check Their Vehicle During Vehicle Safety Recalls Week

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Oklahoma City—Safe Cars Save Lives: This is the lifesaving message the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is sharing with all vehicle owners. NHTSA and the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office (OHSO) urge vehicle owners to check their vehicle for open recalls during Vehicle Safety Recalls Week March 4-10, 2024. The safety week coincides with the start of Daylight Saving Time, which begins Sunday, March 10, 2024. In 2022 alone, there were 1,050 safety recalls affecting more than 31 million vehicles and other automotive equipment in the United States.

“Checking for recalls is free, quick, and easy,” said OHSO Director Paul Harris. “During Vehicle Safety Recalls Week in March, we are urging everyone to take a few minutes to check for an open safety recall. Remember that every vehicle recall is important and should be repaired immediately. Your diligence will help keep you and others safe on the roadways.”

Two Ways to Check for Recalls

NHTSA has two ways to check for open safety recalls:

First, drivers can use the free, user-friendly Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Look-Up Tool, located at NHTSA.gov/recalls. This web tool allows vehicle owners to check for open safety recalls on their vehicles or automotive equipment, such as tires and car seats.

By entering their vehicle’s 17-digit VIN into the search bar, the vehicle owner will know if their vehicle is subject to an open safety recall in seconds. While there, vehicle owners can sign up for Recall Alerts. If a vehicle is included in a future recall, they’ll receive an email letting them know. NHTSA’s free web recalls tool will provide details on any unrepaired recall in a vehicle for at least the past 15 calendar years. It will also provide details on unrepaired safety recalls from major automakers, motorcycle manufacturers, and some medium/heavy truck manufacturers.
Second, drivers can also check for open safety recalls by downloading the free SaferCar app. Once in the app, enter a vehicle’s VIN and NHTSA will send an alert if a safety recall is issued.

Think of the SaferCar app as a virtual garage: Once a user downloads the app — available for iOS and Android — they can add any vehicle or related equipment, like tires, trailers, and car seats. SaferCar notifies the user of all related recalls, even directing them to local dealerships so they can quickly make an appointment and get it fixed quickly and for free. If someone already downloaded the app, Vehicle Safety Recalls Week is a good time to make sure their vehicle and equipment information are up-to-date in the app.

Both methods for checking recalls are free and easy. In both cases, drivers will need to enter the vehicle’s VIN, located on the lower portion of their car’s windshield on the driver’s side. The VIN is also located on a vehicle owner’s registration card, and it may be shown on their insurance card.

Stay Recall Aware Every Day

NHTSA urges drivers to participate in Vehicle Safety Recalls Week March 4-10, 2024. But the awareness doesn’t have to stop there. Drivers can take advantage of NHTSA’s free resources — the VIN Look-Up Tool and the SaferCar app — and be covered every day of the year.

Even with alerts and warnings emailed or mailed by manufacturers, millions of recalled vehicles go unrepaired every year. This puts drivers, passengers, and other road users at risk. In fact, an urgent air bag recall is still ongoing, currently the largest vehicle recall in U.S. history, which has resulted in 27 deaths in the United States.

If a driver believes their vehicle may have a safety-related defect that isn’t part of a current recall, contact NHTSA online at NHTSA.gov or by calling the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. Sometimes just one complaint is enough to trigger a safety recall. For more information on NHTSA’s Vehicle Recalls, visit NHTSA.gov/Recalls.

For more information on recalls or traffic safety information specific to Oklahoma, please visit oklahoma.gov/highwaysafety.

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