DETROIT – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Thursday Honda Motor Co. has agreed to pay $70 million for failing to report deaths, injuries and certain warranty claims to the federal government, reported MLive.
NHTSA said the Japanese automaker was in violation of the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act. Signed into law in 2000, the TREAD Act in part requires auto companies to report any defects, death or injuries related to their products.
The fine includes two separate, $35 million civil penalties. NHTSA said an investigation of the Japanese automaker found that it failed to submit early warning reports, which identify potential safety issues. The federal regulator said Honda did not report 1,729 death and injury claims between 2003 and 2013.
In addition to the fines, NHTSA is requiring Honda to develop written procedures for complying with requirements for early warning reports, as well as to train its relevant personnel on this front on an annual basis.
In 2014, NHTSA levied a record $126 million in civil penalties. It was more than the agency had collected over the course of its entire, 43-year history.
“Honda and all of the automakers have a safety responsibility they must live up to – no excuses,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “Last year alone, we issued more fines than in NHTSA’s entire history. These fines reflect the tough stance we will take against those who violate the law and fail to do their part in the mission to keep Americans safe on the road.”
NHTSA said its total fines in 2014 break down as follows: