(Glen Burnie, MD, Tuesday, March 3, 2020) – This March, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) is partnering with Check to Protect for a statewide Vehicle Safety Recalls Week from March 2 to 6.

According to Carfax, nearly one in five vehicles on the road in Maryland has an open safety recall. That includes vehicles with the dangerous Takata airbag recall. When exposed to heat and humidity over time, these recalled airbags transform from life-saving devices to life-threatening ones. Despite the ongoing news alerts and direct communications to customers, many vehicle owners are still unaware that they may be driving a vehicle with a dangerous recall. Many vehicle owners are also unaware that all recall repairs are free at authorized dealerships.

Christine Nizer, administrator of the MDOT MVA, explains the urgency of these airbag recalls.

SOUNDBITE #1:

NEARLY ONE IN FIVE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD IN MARYLAND HAS AN OPEN SAFETY RECALL. IT’S URGENT THAT VEHICLE OWNERS OF ALL MAKES AND MODELS CHECK TO SEE IF THEIR VEHICLE IS AFFECTED AND CALL THEIR LOCAL DEALER TO GET THEIR FREE REPAIR. THAT’S WHY GOVERNOR HOGAN DECLARED THIS WEEK VEHICLE SAFETY RECALLS WEEK IN MARYLAND, AND WHY WE’RE ALERTING DRIVERS AT OUR FACILITIES AND GETTING THE WORD OUT ACROSS THE STATE.

SOUNDBITE #2:

THE EASIEST WAY TO CHECK FOR SAFETY RECALLS IS TO LOOK UP YOUR VEHICLE’S SEVENTEEN-CHARACTER VIN OR VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. THE VIN IS LOCATED ON THE DRIVER’S SIDE DASHBOARD BY THE WINDSHIELD AND ON MOST VEHICLE REGISTRATION DOCUMENTS. GO TO CHECKTOPROTECT.ORG TO ENTER YOUR VIN AND FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY SAFETY RECALLS. IF YOU DO HAVE A RECALL, CALL YOUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE REPAIR.

To see if your vehicle has an open airbag recall, visit CheckToProtect.org.