|
To determine
whether any studies have been conducted on the safety of aftermarket
crash parts and recycled airbags, we conducted a literature search
using the Internet, periodicals, trade journals, and Lexis/Nexis.
To identify additional studies, we interviewed federal, state,
and industry experts. At the federal level, we interviewed officials
from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA)
Office of Defects Investigation, Office of Regulatory Analysis
and Evaluation, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, and Office
of Vehicle Safety Research. At the state level, we interviewed
officials from New York and Ohio. To gain an industry perspective,
we interviewed representatives from organizations representing
manufacturers and distributors of aftermarket and original equipment
manufacturers' parts, collision repair shops and collision repair
specialists, consumer advocacy groups, insurance providers, and
vehicle safety experts. (A complete listing of the organizations
we contacted appears at the end of this appendix.) In addition,
we met with representatives of eight collision repair shops located
in Illinois and Massachusetts to obtain their views on the safety
and quality of aftermarket crash parts and recycled airbags. Illinois
was selected because it was the site of the State Farm case and
Massachusetts because the Massachusetts Auto Damage Appraisers
Licensing Board recently conducted two hearings to discuss the
safety of original, aftermarket, and recycled parts used in collision
repair.
To determine
the extent of NHTSA's authority over aftermarket crash parts and
recycled airbags, we reviewed applicable legislation, regulations,
program guidance, and other documentation on NHTSA's vehicle safety
process and procedures. We also interviewed officials in NHTSA's
Office of Defects Investigation, Office of Regulatory Analysis
and Evaluation, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, Office of
Vehicle Safety Research, and Office of General Counsel to gain
an understanding of NHTSA's rules, regulations, policies, and
procedures.
To determine
NHTSA's ability to identify and remove unsafe aftermarket crash
parts and recycled airbags from the nation's roadways, we reviewed
NHTSA's policies and procedures for identifying safety-related
defects. We reviewed consumer complaints on aftermarket crash
parts contained in NHTSA's complaint database and reviewed the
data and reports on the complaints. We also gathered information
on the actions NHTSA has taken with respect to the safety of aftermarket
crash parts. To identify potential ways to improve the effectiveness
of NHTSA's safety program, we interviewed NHTSA officials, industry
associations, and consumer advocacy groups.
We did not
analyze the accuracy or quality of the over 400,000 complaints
contained in NHTSA's database because such an analysis was beyond
the scope of our review. We performed our review from June 2000
through January 2001 in accordance with generally accepted government
auditing standards.
|
|