RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — The safety hazards posed by non-compliant automotive products – those which do not meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) – were discussed during a recent seminar for automotive aftermarket manufacturers and distributors organized by MEMA and its safety product group, the Transportation Safety Equipment Institute (TSEI).
The standing-room-only crowd at the event, held during AAPEX in Las Vegas, heard comments by Ann Wilson, MEMA vice president of government affairs; Art Richardson of Peterson Manufacturing and TSEI director; and Mike Cole of the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.
Non-compliant products are a serious concern, the panelists noted. In 2002, NHTSA recalled thousands of non-compliant replacement tail lamps and levied a $650,000 fine against one manufacturer. In 2003, the agency recalled 11,000 non-compliant emergency warning triangles. In 2004, NHTSA issued recalls of trailer light kits by Optronics Inc. and lighting products by Unified Marine for non-compliance. And, just recently, the federal appropriations bill passed by Congress in November includes funding for two additional positions within NHTSA dedicated to enforcement actions against non-compliant vehicle products.
“These actions by NHTSA are solid steps in the road toward better enforcement, but only correct a small percentage of the problem,” said Richardson. “We believe this seminar will help explain to manufacturers and distributors that there are federal safety standards which products need to meet and penalties for manufacturers who fail to comply,” he noted.
The speakers reviewed the safety standards, what is involved in making a compliant product, the penalties for manufacturing non-compliant products and the responsibilities of buyers.
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