Trenton – The Senate Transportation Committee today advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Patrick Diegnan Jr. and Senator Gordon Johnson that would require notice of a motor vehicle safety recall upon inspection and registration of a vehicle.
The bill, S-2004, would require an official motor vehicle inspection facility or licensed private inspection facility to provide written notice to the owner of a vehicle being inspected of all open recalls applicable at the time of the inspection. The recall notice is to include a description and statement of each open recall to be repaired by certain vehicle dealers at no cost to the owner, except under certain circumstances. Under the bill, drivers would not be permitted to renew their vehicle registrations if they have outstanding recalls.
“Sending out relevant vehicle recall information along with registration renewal notices will help New Jersey drivers stay safe and remain proactive with vehicle maintenance,” said Senator Diegnan (D-Middlesex). “Owners should not be liable for a motor vehicle manufacturer’s recall that they may not be fully aware of prior to their inspections.”
“Safety risks are heightened when drivers are left unaware of the manufacturing recalls on their vehicles. This legislation would minimize that risk,” said Senator Johnson (D-Bergen). “Notification at the time of registration renewal and inspection is the most efficient means of resolving outstanding vehicle recalls.”
In May 2019, New York implemented checks for open recalls during vehicle inspections to help improve public safety.
The bill was released from committee by a vote of 5-0.