Motor Vehicle Safety Fraud

In the wake of a number of serious motor vehicle safety scandals, in 2015 Congress passed and President Obama signed the “Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act,” which established a Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Program at the Department of Transportation. 

Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Program, any employee or contractor of a motor vehicle manufacturer, part supplier, or dealership may submit information to the government regarding serious violations of federal safety laws.  Serious safety violations may include:

• Defects that cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle
• Failure of safety measures such as airbags or brakes
• Ineffective crash safety mechanisms
• Spontaneous fires or explosions

In addition, as the motor vehicle industry continues its trend toward self-driving cars and other automated control features, the range of potential safety violations will only increase.   

Whistleblowers whose information results in the government’s collection of over $1 million in monetary sanctions may be eligible for a financial reward equal to 10-30% of the amount recovered.  The Department of Transportation takes all reasonable measures to protect the anonymity of whistleblowers. 

Please contact us directly at whistleblower@cohenmilstein.com, if you believe you’ve witnessed any form of motor vehicle safety fraud.