As one of the largest states in the US, Florida faces a large impact from the government shutdown. One of the biggest concerns for drivers in the State of Florida is the safety and security of their vehicles in this confusing and unpredictable time.
Who Regulates Car Safety in the United States?
Nationwide car safety is the purvue of the NHTSA, or the National Highway and Transporation Safety Administration. Any vehicle sold en masse in the US must be first tested and approved by the NHTSA, and all potential recalls are investigated by the NHTSA. The repair process gets managed by their employees and they make sure that manufacturers comply with important repairs to make sure everyone on the road is as safe as possible.
Who Is Furloughed at the NHTSA?
Employees of the NHTSA have a variety of responsibilities, and a large number of those employees are not working now. The usual process requires inspections by employees who take care of safety testing, recall notifications, public notifications, and website updates. These employees are not at work now, and will not be back until the shutdown ends, unless the NHTSA finds reason to bring back furloughed employees. This depends on how threatening the cars are - so basically, more accidents will have to happen for it to become a concern for the government while it is shut down.
What Does This Mean for Florida Drivers?
What this means is that the upgrades and recall repairs will not be approved or overseen by the NHTSA, so the quality of the repair could be a concern. If dealers do not replace engines or make upgrades to the safety standards the NHTSA typically enforces, then there could be more problems.
Should I Get My Recall Completed, or Wait Until the Government Shutdown Is Over?
In absence of safety oversight by the NHTSA, a certain amount of trust will have to be placed in the manufacturers and the dealerships completing the repairs. Nevertheless, the car problems are dangerous, and getting a free repair may be a good idea since we have no idea when the NHTSA will get back to work. After a month of being shutdown, there's no telling how long it will take the NHTSA to get back up to speed once the government begins operating at full capacity again.
Auto Tags of Florida can help you deal with the FLHSMV without having to wait in line. Contact us at (954)848-4808 to get your vehicle road legal today.
Photo credit: Slobodan Josic
