TITLE IV: HIGHWAY SAFETY AND MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY
REAUTHORIZATION

In light of the record 64 million recalled vehicles last year, including lapses related to the
faulty GM ignition switch and Takata air bag recalls, the Highway and Motor Vehicle Safety
Title includes provisions to increase recall completion rates, improve consumer awareness,
and require the National Highway Traf?c Safety Adminstration (NHTSA) to ?x what the
DOT Inspector General has identi?ed as broken in its Of?ce of Defects Investigation.

Complements S. 304 the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act, which is intended to
uncover safety issues before they become bigger problems.

The bill reauthorizes NHTSA, including authorizing a total of almost $840 million over six
years for vehicle safety efforts. Given the significant de?ciencies uncovered by the DOT
Inspector General, however, it does not provide the exponential increase in resources
requested by NHTSA, focusing instead on ?xing the agency?s problems ?rst.

New Requirements on Industry to Improve Recall Completion Rates to Fix Defective
Vehicles:
0 Requires franchise dealers to inform the consumer of any open recalls every time a
vehicle is brought in for service;
0 Requires rental car companies to remedy a recall or provide the consumer with notice
of an open recall before they rent the vehicle;
0 Increases time for tire manufacturers to provide remedies free of charge to consumers
for defective tires in order to increase the number of consumers who receive the 

 

Improves Consumer Awareness of Vehicle Safety Information:

0 Creates a 2-year state pilot grant to inform consumers of open vehicle recalls at the

time of motor vehicle registration;

0 Improves the usability, organization, availability, and readability of

Improves guidance for consumers on how to provide safety information to 
Requires information on crash avoidance technology, intended to help prevent

crashes, be included on the sticker of new vehicles.

 



Increases Oversight over NHTSA to Ensure Accountability:
0 Requires the Department of Transportation Inspector General and NHTSA to
provide updates on progress to address the de?ciencies identi?ed by the
Inspector General?s audit of the defect identi?cation and investigation process;
0 Directs further audits of vehicle recall process.