National Traffic Safety Administration, United States

In the United States, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) operates the DOT Auto Safety Hotline to help identify safety problems in motor vehicles, tires and automotive equipment such as child safety seats.

The NHTSA responsibilities include identifying safety problems and making decisions that may result in vehicle recalls. Often these recalls will result in similar actions being taken in Canada.

Your call or electronic submissions help lead to recalls. You provide the first information the NHTSA uses to identify safety problems. They review your complaint and compare it to other complaints. If a trend develops, the NHTSA may open an investigation.

The NHTSA will also let the manufacturer know about your complaint.

To find out more about the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, their role in road safety and how vehicle recalls happen in the United States follow the link below:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

Transport Canada

In Canada, Transport Canada operates the Road Safety Directorate to help identify safety problems in motor vehicles.

Similar to the DOT Auto Safety Hotline, Transport Canada checks into all safety-related complaints. If they find an obvious fault, or similar problems in a group of vehicles, they will launch an investigation.

To find out more about Transport Canada, their role in road safety and how vehicle recalls happen in Canada follow the link below:

http://www.tc.gc.ca/roadsafety/Recalls/recintro_e.htm