NHTSA Gearing Up For Vehicle Safety Recalls Week

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently gearing up for their National Vehicle Safety Recalls Week. This year, the public safety campaign is going to run from March 7 until March 13. They’re raising awareness and getting the word out about the importance of checking your vehicle for recalls and getting them scheduled for repairs as quickly as possible.  

Check Your Vehicle Twice a Year  

The NHTSA recommends checking your vehicle for recalls at least twice a year. In the past, motor vehicle owners relied on postcards in the mail to alert them to safety recalls. While most automakers are still sending out those paper recall notices, for a variety of reasons, they might not always make it to your mailbox. Whether there are changes in ownership or mail issues, the best bet is just to check for open recalls yourself.  

A great way to remember when to check your vehicle is to do so during the daylight saving time changes. Check your car when you “spring forward” and also when you “fall back.” It takes the guesswork out of wondering when the last time you checked was.  

Repairs Are Free and Checking For Recalls is Easy  

It only takes a few minutes to check for recalls. All you have to do is write down your vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), which can be found on your insurance card or on the lower left of your vehicle’s windshield. Next, just put that number into the NHTSA’s VIN Lookup Tool. The search tool will let you know if there are any open recalls on your vehicle and what you should do about them.  

Repairs on recalls are always free. Just contact your local dealership and schedule the repair. In some cases, you can take safety precautions prior to getting the vehicle fixed, but in other cases, it may be necessary to stop driving the vehicle all together before getting it fixed. Most repairs are handled quickly, so you should have your vehicle back on the road swiftly.    

If you have been injured or if you have lost a loved one in a car accident caused by a dangerous or defective car part in San Diego or anywhere in Southern California, contact the skilled team at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, Inc. at 1.800.GO.HARRIS for a free case consultation today.