Itasca, IL – The National Safety Council Check To Protect program is celebrating its second anniversary with a renewed call for all drivers to check their vehicles for open safety recalls. Backed by a broad coalition of automakers, safety advocates and auto industry leaders, Check To Protect has driven 3.5 million people to CheckToProtect.org, a free service where entering your vehicle identification number (VIN) will reveal open recalls that may pose a safety risk.
More than 53 million vehicles – about one in five on the road today – have open safety recalls. Of these, 42 million have unrepaired, recalled airbags, making these life-saving devices potentially life-threatening. If these recalled airbags deploy in a crash, they can put drivers and passengers at risk of injury or death from sharp metal fragments spraying into the vehicle.
“Safety recalls impact everyone who touches the auto industry – from automakers, to associations, to drivers and passengers. Only through collective action can we ensure that all consumers are aware of – and fix – open safety recalls,” said Kelly Nantel, vice president of communications and advocacy at NSC. “We’re grateful to celebrate Check To Protect’s second anniversary, and substantial growth over the past year, with a broad coalition of support from across the industry.”
Launched in 2017 as a partnership between NSC and FCA US, Check To Protect educates about the importance of checking for open safety recalls and getting vehicles repaired for free at an authorized dealership. Today, the campaign also includes Toyota Motor North America, Nissan USA, Governors Highway Safety Association and nearly two dozen other organizations that are helping to spread the word.
Automakers send letters to original vehicle owners within 60 days of a recall notifying them about the defect and how to get it fixed, but the message does not always find the right recipient. That is because a vehicle owner may have moved, or the vehicle may have been sold. As a result, the recall repair compliance rate is just 44% for vehicles five to 10 years old. While some owners are not aware of their vehicle’s recall status, others know they have a recall but perceive the issue as unimportant.
Through the combined efforts of automakers and the Council, Check To Protect is making strides to overcome these barriers through targeted community outreach, canvassing, advertising campaigns, social media efforts, dealership participation, activations at NASCAR races and military bases, and more. With support from CARFAX, the program also has expanded its efforts to reach fleet managers, and CheckToProtect.org now allows users to check up to 10,000 vehicles at once.
About the National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate preventable deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy. Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, NSC advances this mission by partnering with businesses, government agencies, elected officials and the public in areas where we can make the most impact.
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