On Feb. 15, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a proposal seeking to collect information from automobile dealers and repair businesses on the installation of airbag on/off switches.
Under the requirement, vehicle owners, fleet owners or vehicle lessees must complete a form, OMB 2127-0588, to certify they agree to and understand statements regarding the use of a deactivation switch. Currently, dealers and repair businesses can only perform the installation with the presentation of a completed form by the owner or lessee. The proposal would require dealers and repair businesses to then submit the completed forms to NHTSA within seven days of the completed installation.
According to NHTSA, collecting the forms will help the agency monitor the number of deactivation switches that have been requested, determine any patterns that may exist in different groups of owners or lessees based on risk criteria, and promote honesty in owners or lessees completing the forms. NHTSA also says collecting the forms will help determine if dealers and repair businesses are complying with existing regulations regarding deactivation switches for airbags.
More information:
To view the proposal in its entirety, click here.
