If you receive a recall alert for your vehicle, do you immediately take it in for repairs or will you put it off for a while?
Most people are apparently in the second group. According to Carfax, more than 2.5 million vehicles that have been tagged with "Do Not Drive" or "Park Outside" safety recalls remain unrepaired and on U.S. roads as of May 1.
Though rarely issued, "Do Not Drive" and "Park Outside" notifications are urgent recalls. A "Do Not Drive" recall advises drivers not to operate their vehicles because a serious safety issue could lead to an accident or physical harm. A "Park Outside" recall is issued for vehicles with a high risk of causing a fire, and owners are advised to park these vehicles outside of garages and parking structures, and away from buildings.
All recalls need to be taken seriously, but these two types are more time-sensitive than most because they urge owners to either not operate their vehicle, or to park away from any structure to avoid a fire.
The Carfax analysis shows that 10 states have more than 70,000 of these vehicles driving on their roads, with California leading the way.
Top 10 states with the highest number of these vehicles:
1. California: 245,000
2. Texas: 242,000
3. Florida: 237,000
4. New York: 118,000
5. Pennsylvania: 106,000
6. Ohio: 101,000
7. Georgia: 96,000
8. Illinois: 92,000
9. North Carolina: 85,000
10. Arizona: 71,000
There are about 200 vehicles from many automakers over many model years that have been affected.
Among the most well-known issues, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says 23 people have been killed in the U.S. because of exploding Takata airbags; more than 400 people have been injured. These airbags have had an issue with their chemical composition and have, at times, had the metal that encases the airbag turn into shrapnel inside the car's cabin. The NHTSA also says more than 3,100 Hyundai and Kia models under recall have caught fire nationwide -- leaving one person dead and more than 100 injured.
"Despite efforts by state and federal governments – and the auto industry itself – too many consumers are driving in vehicles that have been deemed too dangerous to drive, or that shouldn’t be parked in or near a home for fear of a fire," Faisal Hasan, General Manager for Data at Carfax, said in a statement. "Officials and communities need to break through consumer recall notice fatigue and drive home the message: We can save lives today by getting these recalls fixed."
Drivers whose cars have any recall can get the specified repair work done for free at a dealership affiliated with the brand of their vehicle.
If you're not sure whether your vehicle needs to be repaired as part of a recall, you can check on the NHTSA website using your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number. The VIN is located on lower corner of your car's windshield and on your car's registration card.
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