Directs the department of motor vehicles to maintain an internet link of motor vehicle safety recalls, and cause an inquiry to be made thereof upon the annual vehicle inspection

Summary of provisions

Section 1 Amends the vehicle and traffic law by adding a new section 210-a to direct the department of motor vehicles to provide access to the electronic database of all safety recalls issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by including a link to "safecar.gov" on their website. The department shall promote and provide public notice of this information on their website and on a separate insert provided to motor vehicle owners upon issuance or renewal of a registration.

Section 2 Subdivision (a) of section 304 of the vehicle and traffic law, as amended by chapter 608 of the laws of 1993, is amended and a new subdivision (b-1) is added to direct official inspection stations to submit to the department of motor vehicles the vehicle identification number. The department will reviews the website and shall provide to the inspection station a vehicle inspection report including any recalls that the vehicle is subject to. If the owner is a dealer, the dealer shall provide such vehicle inspection report to the next retail purchaser or lessee.

Section 3 Contains the effective date.

Justification

The number of motor vehicle safety recalls has reached record levels with more than 800 recalls affecting almost 64 million vehicles occurring in 2014. Currently, motor vehicle manufacturers are required to notify the registered owners of vehicles that are subject to a safety recall and inform them that the vehicle can be repaired at an authorized dealer at no cost to the vehicle owner. However, consumers are often unaware that there is a safety recall if they have purchased a used car as manufacturers have difficulty keeping track of ownership when vehicles are traded-in or sold to third parties.

This legislation requires that consumers be notified if their motor vehicle has been subject to a manufacturer's recall at the time of their Department of Vehicle annual inspection. If the official inspection station finds that the motor vehicle is the subject of a safety recall, it will notify the owner in writing on the Vehicle Inspection Report that the automobile may be repaired at an authorized manufacturer dealer at no charge to the vehicle owner

It further provides that the Department of Motor Vehicles shall promote and provide notice to consumers of the availability of information on motor vehicle safety recalls. This includes providing a link to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's searchable database of safety recalls on their website safercar.gov. By entering their vehicle's VIN number into safercar.gov a consumer

can easily determine if there is a safety recall on their vehicle. The Department of Motor Vehicles is also required to provide this information to consumers through an insert included with all motor vehicle owner's registration or renewal.

This legislation will strengthen consumer protections and enhance motor vehicle safety in New York.

Legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately any and all actions necessary to implement the provision of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be completed by the department of motor vehicles on or before such effective date.