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People are at risk for serious injuries or tragic deaths in Florida, according to Fox13 Tampa Bay, on May 18, 2023. Despite being recalled, 2.5 million vehicles are still on U.S. roads.

CARFAX reports that there are 237,000 Florida vehicles with recall orders that have unrepaired “do not drive” and “park outside” orders. With over 200,000 recalled vehicles, Florida ranks #3 behind California and Texas.

When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues “Do Not Drive” orders, it advises drivers not to operate the recalled vehicles because an accident or physical harm may occur from a serious safety hazard.

For example:

• 132,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs were recalled over a fire risk, and the NHTSA issued a “Park Outside” recall.

• The NHTSA reported 23 people tragically died in the U.S. because of exploding Takata airbags and hundreds more were seriously injured. GM has issued a recall for nearly 1,000,000 vehicles because the airbag inflators could explode.

Experts agree that part of the problem is the chain of ownership when drivers ignore notices or do not get their vehicles repaired.

Recalled Rental Cars

In June 2016, the NHTSA began implementing the 2015 law enacted in part after advocacy from a family who lost two sisters in a 2004 recalled vehicle accident.

In December 2022, the NHTSA announced it was investigating Hertz for allegedly renting vehicles with open recall issues without first fixing them. This violates vehicle safety laws. The NHTSA said it was auditing Hertz’s recall record from 2018 to 2020, specifically examining Ford and Nissan models.

“Information gathered by the agency to date, including from vehicle manufacturers, suggests repairs required under multiple NHTSA safety recalls were not made prior to the rental of such affected vehicles to Hertz customers,” NHTSA said in a statement.

Hertz spokesperson Lauren Luster said in a statement that the company was “reviewing NHTSA’s request for information and will cooperate fully with their investigation.”

New Car Sales

Federal law prohibits the sale of a new vehicle with an open safety recall. Once a dealer receives a new vehicle and a stop sale is issued by the manufacturer, they must repair the vehicle before selling it.  

Used Car Sales

Consumer Reports says that sellers do not have to fix recalled used cars. This includes dealerships and individuals. Consumer Reports urges buyers to do the legwork themselves when it comes to getting the free recall repair done.

“Too often, used-car shoppers are on their own because federal law doesn’t require dealers and private-party sellers to make these needed repairs on used vehicles,” says William Wallace, associate director of safety policy at Consumer Reports.

Uber, Lyft, and Ride-share Recalls

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a vehicle safety report in May 2023. The report contained information on how many Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare companies have either one or more open safety recalls. These vehicles were subject to recall, but the recalls were never addressed, and the problem or problems were never fixed. The report showed 1 in 6 rideshare vehicles nationwide operate with at least one open safety recall.

How to Know Whether a Vehicle is Recalled?

The first step is to locate the vehicle identification number (VIN). It is a 17-digit combination of numbers and letters that is unique to each vehicle. Usually, it is at the bottom outside of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Then go to safercar.gov, the official, free-to-use website of the NHTSA, which is the government agency responsible for vehicle recalls, and enter the car’s VIN. If there’s an open recall on the specific vehicle, it will appear there.

When You Are in an Accident with a Recalled Vehicle

Recalled vehicles are a danger on Florida’s roadways. When a driver fails to have a recalled vehicle repaired, he or she can be negligent in an accident injuring or tragically killing others. The manufacturer may also be liable if they did not follow the laws regarding notification and repair of recalled vehicles. Accident victims may be able to obtain damages from multiple parties and should contact Florida Personal Injury Attorney Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. after seeking medical attention. There are no costs or attorney fees until the firm receives a monetary recovery for its accident victims. Spivey Law provides personal contact and communication 24/7, along with aggressive representation.

Here is what one client had to say about Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.:

Spivey Law Firm has helped my family with several cases and has always taken great care and looked over everything with great care. With this law firm in your corner, you always know you are in good hands, and they will do everything in their power. Highly recommend! - CHLOE M.