North Dakota Highway Patrol urges drivers to check for vehicle recalls

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1 in 4 vehicles in the United States has an open safety recall. The North Dakota Highway Patrol is urging drivers to check for safety issues on their vehicle.

The recall rate is even higher for older and used vehicles, which have only a 44% recall completion rate compared to 83% for newer vehicles.

Officials say checking for open recalls often will help you stay safe and you should never assume that you will get a recall notice by mail.

Drivers report a variety of reasons for not addressing recalls on their vehicle, such as not having enough time, the recall not being concerning enough, or parts not immediately available at the dealership. However, the National Safety Council says ignoring a recall can lead to costly damages.

Getting a recall repaired is free at any dealership, whether you purchased the vehicle there or not. The service is not only for individual vehicle owners. Businesses and other organizations that operate fleets can conduct bulk recall checks.

The Check to Protect website says right now, 50 million vehicles on the road have open recalls. You can find out if your vehicle has an open recall HERE.