Increased NHTSA Penalties – On July 5, 2016, NHTSA published an interim final rule in the Federal Register updating the maximum civil penalty amounts for violations of statutes and regulations administered by NHTSA pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvement Act of 2015. The final rule also amends NHTSA’s regulations to reflect the new civil penalty amounts for violations of the Safety Act authorized by the FAST Act.
New penalty amounts cover the following topics:
CAFE (penalty amounts nearly triple)
Bumper standard (penalty amounts nearly triple)
Safety Act (penalty amounts triple)
MD/HD vehicle fuel consumption
False or misleading reports to NHTSA
Odometer disclosure
National Motor Vehicle Title Information System
Consumer information
Tire efficiency rating program
Content labeling
Theft protection
School bus safety
Public comments are NOT being sought because NHTSA finds that good cause exists for immediate implementation without public comment. NHTSA is of the view that notice and comment would be impracticable and is unnecessary.
The rule takes effect August 4, 2016.
Petitions for reconsideration are due August 19, 2016.
NHTSA contact: Thomas Healy, Office of Chief Counsel, NHTSA, (202) 366–2992.