The new figures come from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), who estimate that about a third of all recalled vehicles have never been repaired.
“There’s as many as 60 million vehicles that remain on the road with open recalls right now,” said Jason Levine, Executive Director with the advocacy group Center for Auto Safety.
DOT made the announcement following the tragic death of Anthony Burgess, a 24-year-old who parked at the top of a hill and left his 3-year-old daughter Amina inside momentarily while he spoke with a friend. Authorities say Amina accidentally kicked the gear shifter out of park, causing it to roll into a pond at the bottom of the hill.
Burgess jumped in and grabbed his daughter, holding her above water until a bystander could grab her. However, Burgess didn’t know how to swim, and soon he disappeared under the water and drowned.
Has your car been recalled? To find out, just go to safercar.gov and click on ‘Search for Recalls by VIN’.
“Anyone with a smartphone can do it, checkout safercar.gov and see if there’s a recall on your vehicle,” Levine said, adding that doing so can save lives.
Source: CBS News