SEATTLE -- The city of Seattle will propose new regulations to improve the taxi and Uber inspection process in response to a KING 5 consumer investigation.
That investigation “Hazards for Hire” revealed roughly 40 percent of for-hire vehicles in Seattle were operating with potential safety hazards because no one was checking them for outstanding recalls.
Now a Seattle spokesperson says the city is drafting a new proposal that would require for-hire vehicles to correct safety recalls as part of the city’s mandatory annual inspection process.
Vehicles must pass that inspection before to receive a license to operate.
“In keeping with the city’s commitment to safety, we are taking steps to incorporate such oversight into our regulatory compliance efforts as allowed,” said spokesperson Julie Moore.
Before adopting the rule, the city will be reaching out to the public and the industry for comment.
Checking vehicles for outstanding recalls is simple. Any driver can write down the VIN displayed on their driver side windshield and enter it into the NHTSA database to determine if their vehicle has an open safety recall.
