TYSONS, Va. (Jan. 21, 2016)-National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) President Peter Welch on Thursday issued the following statement in response to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)'s announcement of a new public awareness campaign called Safe Cars Save Lives that urges consumers to check for open recalls at least twice a year and to get their vehicles fixed as soon as parts are available:

"NADA fully supports smart strategies aimed at expanding how owners and operators are reminded that they have or may have vehicles with outstanding safety recalls, and NHTSA and Administrator Rosekind should be commended for this effort to increase the recall completion rate by raising awareness among the public about the importance of responding to manufacturer and dealer notices about an open recalls on their vehicles."

NADA, which supports a 100-percent recall completion rate, urged NHTSA to consider launching such a public awareness campaign - similar to the effective "Click it or Ticket" ad campaign - during the April 28, 2015, NHTSA Workshop entitled Retooling Recalls: Getting to 100% Completion.

In a May 29, 2015, follow-up letter to Rosekind, NADA wrote:

"NADA encourages NHTSA to capitalize on its excellent track record for effective public communications by engaging in a comprehensive and sustained awareness campaign stressing the importance of recall remedy participation. Thanks to NHTSA, 'Click it or Ticket' and 'Don't Drink and Drive' are iconic slogans ingrained in our national lexicon. By using solid research indicating why owners and operators don't get their vehicles fixed, NHTSA can target a campaign with various means of communications. Whether it's the crash test dummies suggesting, 'we're the dummies, you need to get your car fixed' or some other strategy, NADA is confident that NSTHA has the communications expertise to get the motoring public's attention, to promote the VIN-lookup tool, and to enhance recall campaign effectiveness."