Glen Burnie, MD – The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) was the only recipient of a federal grant to provide critical vehicle safety recall information to Maryland residents. Maryland will receive $222,300 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to provide vehicle owners and lessees in the state with important information about open safety recalls.
“Our state is proud to pilot this important initiative that will protect our citizens and make our roadways safer,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “The safety and security of Marylanders is our top priority, and this program will allow our MVA to alert vehicle owners to potentially dangerous safety recalls.”
On average, only 70 percent of vehicle recalls are remedied. The Takata airbag recall, the largest and most complex recall in automotive history, includes as many as one-third of vehicles nationwide. The FAST Act provided grant funding for the safety recall notification program, with the goal of increasing the number of repairs completed for vehicle safety recalls.
Beginning in April 2018, MDOT MVA will provide owners and lessees with important safety recall information in vehicle registration renewal notices at no charge. To obtain the vehicle recall information, MDOT MVA will partner with Cox Automotive Inc., a provider of industry-leading digital marketing, financial, retail, and wholesale solutions across the automotive industry.
“The vehicle safety recall program is another way MDOT is a leader in the areas of safety and customer service,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Pete K. Rahn. “We are focused on saving lives on our roadways and delivering premier service for our customers.”
An open recall will not affect the ability of a customer to renew their vehicle registration with MDOT MVA. The information is being provided as a public service with the intent of encouraging recipients to take appropriate action to remedy any open safety recalls. MDOT MVA will report back to NHTSA regarding the results of the pilot program.
“MDOT MVA is always looking for creative ways to provide customers with important safety information from safe driving behavior to vehicle safety information,” said MDOT MVA Administrator Christine Nizer. “We encourage customers to take advantage of the safety recall information and address them as quickly as possible.”
Vehicle owners can check their VIN for open recalls at any time by contacting their vehicle manufacturer or authorized dealership, or by using the VIN look-up tool found on the NHTSA website, www.nhtsa.gov.