The Barnes Firm

Total Recall

• May 12, 2017
• Sandy

LOS ANGELES – When drivers are looking for a new set of wheels, they’re more than likely on a strict budget and looking for the best deal. Enter used-car dealerships. Historically, buying a car off these lots is risky and today is no exception. According to the Los Angeles car crash lawyers at The Barnes Firm, buying a used-car with an active recall could lead to a serious car crash.

With millions of cars under recall, a new study aimed to find out how often used-car dealerships aren’t fixing recalled vehicles and instead are passing the burden onto unsuspecting consumers.

More than 36,000 cars for sale had an active recall.

A Los Angeles car accident lawyer says Southern California could be a hot-bed for used-cars under recall.

“In some states, it’s illegal to sell a car without fixing it or addressing a recall first but the laws currently aren’t as strict in Los Angeles,” car accident lawyer John Sheehan said. “There are thousands of used-cars for sale at any given moment in California and a large percentage of them could have safety defects that haven’t even been looked at, so consumers really need to do their research before making a purchase.”

The study, conducted by AutoNation, also found that the eight deadliest states for car crashes also had the highest number of recalls: Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.

When it comes to the number of used-car sales with recalls, California ranked 12^th in the nation. Los Angeles car accident lawyers say that should concern every SoCal driver.

“There are millions of car crashes each year and many of them are related to recalled vehicles that were never fixed,” Sheehan said. “Safety recalls don’t just affect clunkers on the discount lot – in fact, about 20-percent of all the cars made in 2015, both standard and luxury, have an active recall.”

AutoNation found that the practice of selling unfixed vehicles is rampant in the Los Angeles area and most of the vehicles with recalls sport safety concerns.

According to the numbers, almost 62 percent of all active recalls needed immediate attention or sellers run the risk of putting their customers’ safety in jeopardy. The problems ranged from faulty seat belts to problematic gear shifters to broken hood latches. Los Angeles car accident lawyers say every safety recall should be considered serious.

“A faulty hood latch looks like a small problem on paper but we’ve seen crashes where that hood has flown up without warning, causing a serious accident,” Sheehan said. “If consumers don’t know about these issues, they can get severely injured or killed and in many cases, it’s not their fault.”

The car isn’t just a way to get from Santa Monica to Hollywood. It carries your life and the lives of those you love, which is why overlooked recalls can be extremely dangerous.

If you’ve been injured by a defective car part, the Los Angeles car accident lawyers at The Barnes Firm could help you get the best result possible. For more information on active recalls and safety tips, follow The Barnes Firm on Twitter.

The Barnes Firm 1-(800) 800-0000