Facing criticism from Congress for its handling of previous automotive recalls, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is holding hearings on 22 recalls from one automaker, looking beyond their timeliness and into their execution.
While unusual, the NHTSA’s new focus on enforcement is not unexpected.
“They spent a lot of 2014 focusing on sending a message to industry and the market about timely recalls, when they should be done, and so on,” said Colin Kelly, partner in Alston & Bird’s Products Liability and Litigation & Trial Practice Groups. “So this is their next evolution, to have a hearing focusing on how quickly alleged defects are being remedied.”
While unusual, the NHTSA’s new focus on enforcement is not unexpected.
“They spent a lot of 2014 focusing on sending a message to industry and the market about timely recalls, when they should be done, and so on,” said Colin Kelly, partner in Alston & Bird’s Products Liability and Litigation & Trial Practice Groups. “So this is their next evolution, to have a hearing focusing on how quickly alleged defects are being remedied.”