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March 22, 2024
BLUMENTHAL, MARKEY, & WARREN INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT CAR BUYERS & BOLSTER SAFETY OF USED CARS
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) launched laws in the present day to make sure the protection and reliability of used automobiles. The laws, the Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act, requires automobile sellers to restore any excellent security remembers in used automobiles previous to promoting, leasing, or loaning them to shoppers. Present federal regulation doesn’t prohibit automobile sellers from promoting automobiles with open remembers, threatening the protection of everybody on the highway. The Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act addresses this hole in shopper protections and higher safeguards automobile patrons who typically imagine they’re buying a car with security assurances.
“This invoice makes certain that used automobiles with harmful defects are repaired earlier than they’re pushed on our roads,” stated Blumenthal. “Whereas many individuals imagine the used automobiles they’re buying are protected and dependable, that’s all too typically not the case. The Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act closes this obvious security loophole, making certain shoppers have peace of thoughts once they get behind the wheel.”
“Whether or not a automobile is model new or used, no one needs to be susceptible to buying an unsafe automobile,” stated Markey. “And it doesn’t matter if a automobile remains to be on the lot or in a driveway, it must be made protected. I’m proud to work alongside Senators Blumenthal and Warren on this vital laws to make sure unrepaired automobiles, topic to an excellent recall, stay off our roads. Let’s shut this loophole in order that drivers, passengers, and pedestrians are protected as soon as and for all.”
With over 35 million used automobiles bought in america in 2023, bolstering the protection of used automobiles stays an more and more urgent subject. The Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act prevents the sale of used automobiles with security defects by prohibiting auto sellers from promoting, leasing, or loaning automobiles with unrepaired open remembers to shoppers.
To make sure that open remembers are repaired, the Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act incentivizes auto sellers to swiftly restore remembers by permitting them to promote recalled automobiles to different sellers who’ve the power to repair the defects as a substitute of sitting of their tons. The laws additionally requires producers to offer sellers with elements to restore security defects inside 60 days or reimburse sellers if the producers can not present the required elements.
The Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act is supported by a variety of auto security and shopper teams, together with Shoppers for Auto Reliability and Security, Middle for Auto Security, Shopper Experiences, Shopper Motion, Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security, MASSPIRG, USPIRG, Security Analysis and Methods, Public Citizen, and Shopper Federation of America.
“Nobody ought to have to fret once they purchase a automobile from a dealership that the supplier is intentionally promoting them a hazardous, faulty recalled deathtrap — whether or not it’s new or used. Senator Blumenthal’s invoice is essential for serving to shield America’s used automobile patrons and their households from struggling devastating accidents or being killed. Whereas used automobile patrons and their surviving members of the family do have vital rights underneath state legal guidelines, these might not kick in except somebody has suffered damages or died. We nonetheless want NHTSA to have the ability to crack down on sellers who violate federal regulation, to assist forestall tragedies from taking place,” stated Rosemary Shahan, President of Shoppers for Auto Reliability and Security.
“Thousands and thousands of unrepaired and harmful recalled automobiles are operated on America’s roads day-after-day, threatening drivers, passengers and different highway customers. The widespread observe of promoting these harmful automobiles with out first fixing apparent and recognized security hazards unacceptably shifts the burden from producers and used automobile sellers onto the social gathering least geared up to deal with the hazard – the buyer. The Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act incentivizes producers to get recall repairs accomplished rapidly and protects everybody on the highway by closing the federal loophole allowing the sale of unrepaired recalled used automobiles,” stated Michael Brooks, Government Director of Middle for Auto Security
William Wallace, affiliate director of security coverage for Shopper Experiences, stated, “On the naked minimal, folks ought to be capable to belief {that a} used automobile they’re shopping for will not be coming to them with recognized, unrepaired security defects—and proper now, that’s not assured. Shopper Experiences strongly helps the Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act. We urge each member of Congress to assist the invoice and press for it to grow to be regulation expeditiously.”
“Many shoppers won’t ever purchase a brand new automobile, and second-hand automobiles mustn’t imply second-rate security. An unrepaired security recall can put highway customers susceptible to demise or damage, but these tragic occurrences will be prevented by restore earlier than resale. We commend Senators Richard Blumenthal, Ed Markey, and Elizabeth Warren, for reintroducing the Used Automotive Security Recall Restore Act which ensures commonsense actions to maintain automobiles with unrepaired remembers off the roads,” stated Tara Gill, Senior Director, Federal and State Authorities Relations, Advocates for Freeway and Auto Security.
“This invoice will put the brakes on the sale of harmful used automobiles,” stated Deirdre Cummings, MASSPIRG’s legislative director. “Shoppers, rightly so, have the expectation that when buying at used automobile dealerships they’re being offered protected automobiles, and on the very least, they definitely wouldn’t count on on the market any automobile that’s nonetheless underneath a security recall.”
“New automobiles can’t be offered with an open recall, why ought to used automobiles be an exception? This invoice is vital to shut the hole on security and shield patrons,” says longtime security advocate Sean Kane, of Security Analysis & Methods.
The complete textual content of the invoice will be discovered right here.
The complete launch will be discovered right here.
