A New Survey Finds More Than 70 Percent of African A NEW SURVEY FINDS MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS PREFER DRIVING PERSONAL VEHICLES DUE TO COVID-19, YET 20 PERCENT OF VEHICLES HAVE OPEN SAFETY RECALLS

Itasca, IL, Sept. 2, 2021 – A new survey reveals more than 20 percent of African Americans could protect themselves and others on the road with one simple safety step: checking for vehicle safety recalls prior to traveling long distances. The news comes at a time when more  than half of Black Americans (53 percent) plan to travel more than two hours by car over Labor  Day weekend. 

As part of its Check to Protect campaign, the National Safety Council (NSC), America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate, conducted research to gauge consumer perceptions and habits regarding vehicle safety recalls as the holiday travel seasons approach. The organization discovered that while more than half of African Americans plan road trips over Labor Day, only  20 percent of surveyed drivers check for open safety recalls before long road trips, with many stating a lack of time and a belief that recalls are not important to address. Results revealed: 

• More than a quarter (26 percent) of African Americans said they don’t have the time to  make the repairs; 
• 22 percent of African Americans indicated they felt the issue wasn’t serious enough to  get fixed; 
• More than half (51 percent) were unaware that recall repairs are free. 

While checking for vehicle recalls was not a top-of-mind consideration, respondents did admit they adhere to several other safety protocols before taking trips over two hours, including: filling up on gas (79 percent); checking tire pressure (70 percent); getting their oil changed (61  percent); and getting a full inspection at an auto shop (43 percent).  

“More than 53.2 million vehicles on the nation’s roads and highways have unrepaired recalls that can put drivers, their passengers, and other motorists at risk of life-threatening crashes,” said Jamaal Strong, a spokesperson on behalf of Check to Protect. “Many of these drivers and their vehicles will be on the road this Labor Day weekend. It is just as, if not more, important to check for vehicle recalls as it is to check tire pressure and get an oil change. We urge every  driver to take a few minutes to check their vehicles for open recalls before they hit the road this  holiday weekend.”

The study also reveals a majority of African Americans’ (61 percent) Labor Day travel plans include visiting family, followed by taking a vacation (32 percent) and seeing friends (24  percent).  

Further, 70% of African Americans say they generally prefer to travel long distances in their personal vehicles because of COVID-19. The other top two reasons include:  • 53 percent feel more in control when they drive;  

• More than a third (35 percent) simply like taking road trips. 

As drivers prepare to hit the road for the long weekend, NSC reminds them that checking their vehicle for recalls is quick and easy. Vehicle owners can visit ChecktoProtect.org and enter their 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate number into the lookup tool to check their vehicle for open recalls. Vehicle owners can also text “RECALL” to 99724 and take a  picture of their license plate when prompted. A return text will let drivers know if their vehicle has any open recalls. 

If drivers find that their vehicle has an open recall, they should contact their local dealership to schedule a repair. All recalls are free to have repaired at authorized dealers, regardless of whether the owner purchased the vehicle from the dealer or take it there for regular service. For  more information on safety recalls, visit CheckToProtect.org. 

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Methodology 

Atlanta-based V&L Research and Consulting, Inc. conducted a national quantitative research study between August 6 – 13, 2021. The online questionnaire was conducted among a national sample of 555 African Americans, 255 Black females and 250 Black males, who are licensed drivers between the ages of 18 and 72. All participants own vehicles with model years dating from 2019 to 2010. Participants must drive that vehicle at least once or twice per week.  Credibility interval of +/- 4.4% 

About Check to Protect 

Check to Protect is a coalition led by the National Safety Council to encourage drivers to check the recall status of their vehicle and have open recalls fixed immediately, to protect the ones they love.  

About the National Safety Council 

The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for over 100 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace, roadway and impairment.  We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.