Honda Hit With $70M In Fines For Failing To Report Deaths, Injuries To Federal Government
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Honda was slapped with two $35 million fines Thursday for failing to report deaths, injuries and certain warranty claims to the federal government, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The first of the two $35 million civil penalties was for Honda's failure to report 1,729 death and injury claims to the NHTSA between 2003 and 2014, the agency said. The second civil penalty was levied due to the carmaker's failure to report certain warranty claims and claims under customer satisfaction campaigns during the same time period, for a total fine of $70 million.
"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.
In addition to civil penalties, Honda was ordered to comply with NHTSA oversight requirements under a consent order that requires the carmaker to develop written procedures for compliance with early warning report requirements, train appropriate personnel on at least an annual basis and complete two third-party audits of its compliance with its reporting obligations.
Honda will also be required to provide the NHTSA's Early Warning Division with information about the 1,729 unreported death and injury incidents and the warranty claims so they can be analyzed for potential safety concerns and take appropriate action to protect the driving public.
